Five-year-old gelding Almonti ($5.50) registered his first city win last Friday, proving too good at Moonee Valley over the famed 2040-metre journey. The son of Dundeel settled in the second half of the field throughout, before jockey Declan Bates clicked him up and sent him five wide around the home bend to chase after the leaders. The battle in the straight was fierce, with any of seven runners still in contention two-hundred metres out from the post. Almonti always looked to be travelling better than those inside him, and withstood a late challenge from a pair to his outside to prevail by a nose in a busy finish. Bates was pleased to get his third win aboard the consistent galloper.
“We probably ended up further back than we intended, but he travelled beautifully throughout.
“There were a couple coming at him late, but he toughed it out”.
Henry praised his galloper’s ability to get it right on raceday.
“Great to get a city win on the board with this horse, and hopefully not his last”, he said post-race.
“He just keeps fronting up.
“He’s in really good order this horse”.
Almonti will likely come slightly back in trip for his next start, with the 1800-metre start at Caulfield Heath looking an ideal target to notch another win in town.
Friday night’s victory was Almonti’s fourth from sixteen starts, pushing his career prizemoney beyond $100,000.