Michael Walker said Mick Price didn’t take him seriously when he said Odeum could have won her previous start bar for bad luck but he had the last laugh.
Walker Not Surprised By Odeum’s Victory
Outsider Odeum vindicated jockey Michael Walker’s faith in her and stamped herself as a legitimate Thousand Guineas prospect with an easy win in the Listed Jim Moloney Stakes.
Walker said he told her co-trainer Mick Price that she would have won or run a place at her previous start when she finished fifth behind stablemate Night Raid at Moonee Valley but for being checked on the turn.
Walker said Price replied, “what are you smoking?”.
Walker said Odeum won Saturday’s 1400 metre Caulfield feature with her ears pricked and had a few more lengths up her sleeve.
Her other co-trainer Mick Kent Junior said the three-year-old filly would progress to the Group One Thousand Guineas on October 10.
Odeum ($26) defeated Aidensfield ($3.10 fav) by 1-1/2 lengths with Mozzie Monster ($4.20) coming from a long way back to run third.
Trainer Danny O’Brien completed a race-to-race double when outsider From Within won the Henley Homes APC Handicap (1100m) and then Fabric a benchmark 90 race over 1400 metres for mares for the second year in a row.
From Within was ridden by Daniel Moor, who returned to Melbourne in April after two years in Singapore.
Moor said From Within was underestimated by the market and also rival jockeys who allowed him to lead unchallenged.
O’Brien said this was the first time he’d had From Within for a full preparation and she had benefited from that.
She will have her next start in the Alinghi Stakes at Caulfield, a race she won two years ago.
From Within ($31) defeated Front Page ($2.30 fav) by three-quarters of a length with William Thomas ($5.50) a short head away third.