Babylon Berlin (Image: Trish Dunell)
With Ben Sporle
New Zealand trainer Ben Foote had his first look at Moonee Valley on Monday morning and left a happy man after his mare Babylon Berlin handled the circuit with aplomb in the lead-up to Friday night's $1 million Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m).
Babylon Berlin worked with Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr's Irish import A Case Of You, who will also run in the William Reid Stakes.
"I couldn't have been happier with her gallop. She likes to run a bit and she left the other horse behind," Foote said.
"You could say I was happy with her work and also with the track, which will suit her.
"She was really strong to the line and Fred Kersley rode her. He thought she's going really well."
Blake Shinn will, however, be aboard in the William Reid.
Foote said he had eyed off a trip to Melbourne for some time with Babylon Berlin.
He pointed out she had been competitive with top Kiwi sprinting mares, including likely William Reid rivals Imperatriz and Roch 'N' Horse, as well as Levante and Entriviviere, who had all performed well in Australia over the past year.
"She's right up to them and it's a bit enticing coming to Moonee Valley, which should suit her style of on-speed racing," he said.
From her past five starts, Babylon Berlin put together four-consecutive second placings before she won at her most recent outing in a Group 3 over 1200 metres at Te Rapa.
Two of those runner-up finishes were to Imperatriz, including in the G1 Railway Stakes, as well as once to Levante in New Zealand's other feature summer sprint, the G1 Telegraph Stakes.
"She was always going to come over for this race. Mares like her have been measuring up in Australia and there's nothing left for her in New Zealand, so the only option was to come over here," Foote said.
After Friday, Foote intends to take Babylon Berlin to Perth to run in The Quokka on April 15.