Le Societe’s enjoyment of racing on soft tracks came to the fore when the Peter Moody-trained filly provided the first leg of a double for deceased sire Anabaa in the $70,000 Printhouse Handicap (1000m) at Caulfield.
Le Societe had raced twice on wet ground for comfortable wins at Sandown and Caulfield before the three-year-old relished a return to slow ground to post a strong first-up win.
Luke Nolen had to earn his riding fee after Le Societe had little to room to move rounding the home turn before the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership leader helped the four-start veteran through traffic in the straight to score determined win.
“We thought she would run quite well today,” Moody’s representative Tom Brideoake said. “She actually, condition-wise, was a little big and might have been a little tested at the end of her race but her explosive turn of foot got her there in the end.
“She really stretches out at the end of the race and it was a really good effort. This ground really suits her and she got through it well today.”
Le Societe (Anabaa) defeated The Counterfeiter (Keep The Faith) by 1-1/4 lengths with another head back to Loveyamadly (Bel Esprit) in third. The three-year-olds ran the 1000 metres in 59.54 seconds, which included a last 600-metre sectional of 35.75 seconds on slow ground. Le Societe started at $4.20 on track but paid $4 on the Victorian TAB.
Moody Racing paid $NZ175,000 for Le Societe at the NZB NZ Premier Yearling Sale in 2010 on behalf of prominent Victorian owner and breeder Gerry Ryan of Jayco Caravans fame.
The Mick Price-trained Tariana completed Anabaa’s double when the mare led her opposition a merry dance to win the $70,000 LF Signs Handicap (1200m) with Craig Newitt in the saddle.
The Bill Frost homebred scored by 4-1/4 lengths over Rue Maple (Rubiton) with another neck back to Marotta (Hemingway) in third. Tariana ran the 1200-metre trip in 1:12.06 with the final 600 metres completed in 36.43 seconds.
Tariana started at $7.50 with on-course bookies but paid $6.80 on the Victorian TAB.