Horse racing / Brad Thompson / 29 January 2010 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Victorian premiership-leading trainer Peter Moody has maintained his dominance in Melbourne racing, and it doesn't look like ending this Saturday, believes Brad Thompson.

Moody heads into the race with a potent three-pronged attack in newly acquainted BTC Cup winner Duporth, Wanted and Headway

Peter Moody branched out his operations to Sydney on Australia Day, with promising stayer Fairygem taking out the Listed Australia Day Cup at Randwick. The victory came in tandem with a win for exciting mare Set For Fame in the Listed Kevin Hayes Stakes at Caulfield.

The one-time Oaks-favourite was set to stamp herself amongst the upper echelon of the nation's fillies before a bleeding attack cut her campaign short. Expect big things from her this preparation.

Black Caviar's easy Friday night kill at Moonee Valley is worth noting, not for the ease in which she demolished her modest rivals, but more for the baffling question on most racing enthusiast's lips...what on earth was she doing there? Apart from keeping her winning record intact, there is no doubt she is a top-line performer and deserved a chance in the Lightning Stakes.

With or without Black Caviar, the first group 1 race of 2010, the Lightning Stakes (1000m) down the Flemington straight, still shapes as an intriguing stoush between many of the A-grade three-year-olds in the land.

A few other serious sprinters have been thrown in the mix, and an international flavour has been inserted with American Cannonball. However, this crop of three-year-olds is of high quality, and look to have the race at their mercy.

Moody heads into the race with a potent three-pronged attack in newly acquainted BTC Cup winner Duporth, Wanted and Headway.

Headway's always been a horse I've tracked with great interest, and her decisive win down the Flemington straight in the Coolmore Stud Stakes was most impressive. This will be her first try at the 1000m journey, so the jury is out on her ability to run it out in quick enough time, and that's why you will find double-figure odds.

Drawn out wide is a plus for Headway, with Flemington's grandstand side showing signs of a 'fast-lane' in recent meetings.

If Black Caviar would have been a red-hot favourite for the race, then Wanted has to be considered on the back of his less-than one length defeat to the star filly in September last year. However, the calamity continues when you discover Headway beat Wanted by nearly two lengths at the Coolmore.

And that is why I'll suggest sticking with Headway.

Duporth has put in some sparkling recent runs, and is sure to have gone on with the job since being transferred to Moody from Anthony Cumming's Sydney stables. He wasn't beaten far by arguably Australia's top sprinter, All Silent, in the Gilgai Stakes, but then struck trouble in the Schweppes Stakes behind Apache Cat.

Can't rule him out, but would prefer to have Moody's other two before him.

Moody seemingly has an endless production line of high-class fillies, and just to top it off all-conquering spring filly Avenue had a reminder her time in the paddock has come to an end, with jump-out on Monday.

She's a classy type and her six-length trial win revealed she is in for another successful campaign.