By Bren O'Brien
Peter Moody's raid on the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in 2016 has yielded its first racetrack success with the win of Caffrey (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}) at Ballarat on Tuesday.
Moody spent 115,000 guineas on five foals at that sale in 2016 with the intention of bringing them back to Australia to be trained.
Caffrey, who cost 22,000, was the most progressive of the five and having initially been prepared by Darren Weir, made his debut on Tuesday for David Brideoake in the famous Moody white and blue colours.
Caffrey (Ire) winning at Ballarat in the white and blue colours of Moody Racing
Sitting off the pace, the now 3-year-old grey colt came with a strong run on the synthetic surface to win by 3.25l over the 1200m to break his maiden.
"I went over to Europe about two and half years ago and I bought five colt foals and he is the first one we've taken to the track," Moody told Racing.com.
"We brought them out to New Zealand as foals and grew them out at Waikato Stud. They do a terrific job, the Chittick family, and we’ve had them here in Australia for about 12 months."
Caffrey is a full brother to the stakes-placed French filly Body Sculpt (Fr) out of Vital Body (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}), who is one of three stakes placegetters by the Zilzal (USA) mare Vaillante {Ire}). G1 Sydney Cup winner The Offer (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) is also part of the family.
He is the second winner in Australia for Kendargent, the son of Kenmare (Fr), who stands at Haras De Colleville in Normandy.
Haras De Colleville stallion, Kendargent (Fr)
Moody feels Caffrey has substantial scope for improvement off his debut.
"The boys have been pretty happy with him. He's a big deceiving boy, who carries a lot of condition, he's a big barrelled horse and he probably looks a little fat in the yard. He's going to take nice improvement when he gets out to a mile, maybe a mile and a quarter. He'll develop into a nice middle distance horse," Moody said.
"The boys have been pretty happy with him." - Peter Moody
Brideoake has two of the other foals Moody purchased, both by Sea The Moon (Ger), ready to hit the track in the next month or so.
Shepard (GB) is out of a full sister to Group 1 winner Cavalryman (GB) (Halling {USA}), while Cernan (GB) was the most expensive of the quintet at 32,000 guineas and is a half-brother to six winners, including the Listed winner Azabara (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).
Peter Moody with trainer David Brideoake after Caffrey's Ballarat win
"They are genuine, mile-and a-quarter, mile-and-a-half style horses," Moody said.
Phillip Stokes has another one of the five, a gelding called General Bordeaux (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), who is also nearing a racetrack appearance. He is out of a daughter of Group 1 winning mare Spinning Queen (GB) (Spinning World {USA}).
The fifth one is called Ashworth (GB) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) and is also with Stokes and is currently spelling. He is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Infamous Angel (GB) (Exceed And Excel).
