Blake Shinn and Super Too dominated the Ladbrokes 55 Second Challenge Heat 1 (Image: Racing Photos)
The stats
Joao Moreira - first time at The Valley
Toby Edmonds - first Group-level winner
Jon Snow - first win on Good ground
55.83s - the winning time of Super Too in the first of the Ladbrokes 55 Second Challenge
The quotes
"We've had 10 before, so we're halfway there." - David Hayes was beaming after the win of Muraaqeb in the Sporting Globe After The Last Plate (1200m). Hayes' Lindsay Park operation bagged four winners at Benalla earlier, and the Shadwell Stud colt made it a handful of victories on the day for the stable in the night racing season-opener at The Valley.
"I don't think I've ridden a faster filly." - Blake Shinn was super impressed with Super Too's win in the Ladbrokes 55 Second Challenge Heat 1 (955m) for trainer Marc Conners.
"We just come from the rain we're trying to get out of it!" - Master New Zealand trainer Murray Baker on Jon Snow, who posted his first Good-track win from his 11th attempt on top of the ground in the G3 JRA Cup (2040m). He's now set to join stablemate Bonneval in trying to bag Baker another Caulfield Cup, having won it with Mongolian Khan in 2015.
The tweets
The moments
Joao Moreira had the favourite Kobayashi in his first race ride at Moonee Valley, but it didn't go to script for the Brazilian superstar. Terry Bailey's exclamation as Kobayashi started poorly was followed by a collective on-course groan from the punters, and the situation never recovered for the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained speedster.
In the very next race, it was déjà vu when race favourite So You Too was awkward out of the gates, but star Brisbane hoop Jeff Lloyd found a run through and pinched it off the back of the ever brave Tudor - who returned to form and paid upwards of $20 a place on the totes, for trainer Doug Harrison and jockey Brian Werner. Lloyd also delivered for the punters in the Scarborough, piloting $1.30 chance Houtzen to the Group 3 win by a length from the Tony McEvoy-trained Mintha.
The movements
Muraaqeb à Gothic Stakes (Caulfield Cup Day) à Carbine Club Stakes (Derby Day)
Mintha à Thousand Guineas
Houtzen à The Everest OR the Coolmore Stud Stakes
Jon Snow à Herbert Power/Caulfield Stakes à Caulfield Cup