Childs In From The Cold On Antarctic Miss
The Sunday Age
Sunday September 16, 2007
GREG Childs could not disguise the look of relief on his face yesterday after scoring his first city success, on Antarctic Miss at Moonee Valley, since his return to the saddle last month.
Childs was badly injured in a track accident in Brisbane during the winter carnival and was sidelined for three months, but he showed he had lost none of his skills in taking out the group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200 metres). "It's been hard. Very, very hard to get back and get some good rides," Childs said. "I've lost a number of strong mounts and it's the old equation - poor rides, no winners, and you're back in the ruck. "You have to work hard in this game. Everyone has equal opportunity but the stronger the rides you gain the better chance you've got of being noticed." Antarctic Miss is trained by Nigel Sutcliffe, one-time foreman for Mike Moroney at Flemington. "It's quite ironical," Childs said. "I rode Mike Moroney's first winner in the old days and now I've ridden Nigel's first winner at Geelong the other day, and to be aboard his first group winner is a great thrill." Sutcliffe, who has nine horses in work at his Geelong stable, has had only the two winners since taking out his licence - Antarctic Miss at Geelong and now at Moonee Valley. "I came to get the filly when I met the connections at the New Zealand sales last year," he said. "Antarctic Miss was due to fly out to Adelaide with the David Hayes consignment, but after some fast talking I managed to keep the filly." Antarctic Miss will now be aimed at the group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 17. Bel Mer ($4.40), who raced in the box seat for most of the journey, came home solidly to be second, beaten a half length, but couldn't counter the winning sprint of Antarctic Miss, who drifted from $10 to $16. Jockey Craig Newitt said Bel Mer once again put up a strong performance. "She's now looking for 1400 metres or beyond but we just found the winner too good on the day," Newitt said.The Hayes-trained Gladwell, who was heavily backed from $5.50 to $4.20, also finished off nicely for third, a half neck away.? Trainer Mark Kavanagh looks to have a strong Caulfield Cup hope with tough mare Devil Moon, who scored an amazing win in the group 2 wfa Independent Cranes Stakes, formerly the Stocks Stakes (1600 metres).Devil Moon raced wide all the way and just kept going. She firmed from $51 to $17 for the Caulfield Cup. -- with TONY BOURKE
© 2007 The Sunday Age
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