Shane Fliedner may be persuaded to bring Primitive Man back to the city for another run before the horse goes for a break.

His city debut at Moonee Valley was quite impressive; he was locked away on the fence for much of the Aquanas Handicap won by Meliora.

Once he got a clear passage in the straight he finished gamely, there was a lot of merit in the run, he shows quite a bit of promise and worth keeping in mind for a similar type of race.

Philippi is back in work with Michael Kent, he is doing everything asked of him for a return to racing, scheduled for the middle of next month.

Kent pulled the right rein when he aborted any thoughts of a Derby start, never a wise move on one preparation, it has been done previously but later regretted.

The present mission for the colt is the Australian Guineas, the mile at Flemington will suit him, he has been there before and knows what it is all about.

Philippi is by Host, he is a colt with loads of potential remaining unbeaten, he is entitled to be rated the best three year old colt in Victoria

Mark Riley was disappointed with the run of I’m Too Sexy in the Group3 B J McLachlan Stakes on the Gold Coast, after being prominent on the home turn but wide out, she lost ground from there on, she petered out to run second last.

The only excuse to be found, she was feeling the harder ground, she will now spend some time on the water walker, hoping the problem for her failure can be found.

She jarred up quite a bit, the water walker will no doubt ease the immediate problem, but if there is no give in the track it won’t assist her.

Hanging Rock was again the popular racing venue on New Year’s Day; while official numbers are not yet available the crowd is thought to be in the vicinity of 5,000 to 5500 people enjoying a great day out.

The club have just the two dates New Year’s Day, and Australia Day, the feature race being the Hanging Cup over 1800 metres and a stake of $15,000.

Clevadude, the unbeaten male two year old, leaves Melbourne next Tuesday for the Gold Coast for his prime mission, the Magic Millions two year old classic.

He has continued to please Rick Hore-Lacy, he declares the gelding spot on for his major assignment, he is sharing favouritism with Assail at $3.80.

Villa Verde, a winner at her only two starts, then spelled when the grass was at its prime, returns to the stable of Shaun Dwyer to commence her preparation for the road ahead that will hopefully lead her into the Golden Slipper Stakes.

Just the one pre run the in the Reisling Slipper, which was dubbed, by racing writers of the day, as the “Cinderella’s Slipper. She had 13 starts as a two year old, winning eight times.

The Sportingbet Plate at Moonee Valley proved a mere formality for Clevadude, he spread eagled a field of four runners as if it was nothing more than a romp in the park.

Bookmakers treated it as almost a non event, the gelding was always in the red, there was some specking for The Yowie, but the closest he got to the winner was at the barrier.

Clevadude was never off the bit, he travelled well for Craig Newitt, and he drew right away in the run to the judge and was never threatened at any stage of the race.

He is as good a youngster as we have seen out in quite a while; however, Rick Hore-Lacy was not going to be drawn in to comparing him to the likes of Canny Lad, or Redoute’s Choice, at least not yet.

Both were the best of their age competing at Group level, going on to become successful sires Clevadude won’t be competing in that league as he is a gelding.

There are questions still to be answered as to how he will handle the tighter circuit on the Gold Coast, and if he drew a wide gate in what is likely to be a capacity field.

Clevadude - The Flying Machine

Quick Snitzel’s win in the City Jeep handicap was the first leg of a winning treble for leading trainer, Peter Moody, at Moonee Valley.

While the boss was absent, the dapper stable foreman, Tom Brideoake, stepped into the breech with all the professionalism you would expect from a leading stable.

This was the third in a row for Quick Snitzel, but his first in Melbourne; the two previous wins have been out town, where the horse has gained valuable experience before being thrown in at the deep end.

The gelding settled in the middle of the field in his first attempt at 1600 metres, and remained there until approaching the home turn before issuing his assault on the leading division.

Medvedev was the preferred favourite over his stable mate Quick Snitzel, but hardly gave a yelp, and was not sighted over the concluding stages of the journey

Quick Snitzel by Snitzel, a sire better known for getting quick precocious progeny, he is among the most consistent sires we have, he has a great strike rate, plus his yearlings are always popular at sale time.

The winner is on the way improving with each run, he may get a little further judged on his strong finishing run, he was coming home not stopping.

Quick Snitzel ridden by Linda Meech

First out first home, that is how Meliora won the Aquanas Handicap at Moonee Valley, she was never headed or troubled at any stage of the race.

She is a genuine racehorse and can be improved on that win as she had a let up since running fifth, in a field of nine, to Floatmyboat at Caulfield, in early October.

Tom Brideoake was back in the driver’s seat again for Peter Moody, as he has been so many times, he was pleased to see the return to form of Meliora.

“I think she can go on from here, she is lightly raced having had just seven starts, and there are some nice races for fillies at this time of the year, if we can pick up a bit of Black Type her value will soar”

Meliora is by the Danzig sire, Ad Valorem, regarded as the best two year old in Ireland after winning the Blenheim Stakes at The Curragh, he went to Newmarket to win the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes over 1200 metres, a race that has been the measuring stick for the better two year olds in the U K.

The distaff side of his pedigree is quite sound, although a shade foreign, as in the whole it is made up on American strains.

Meliora - A promising filly

Iberia is causing the Snowden stable a few worries, he is ready to run, but has been scratched twice, due to a recurring heat rash.

While the weather remains warm, we may have to wait awhile before the colt sports silk, he is reported to more than handy.

Alex Dobel, racing manager of Moonee Valley, for the past six years, is leaving to take up a position with the Echuca Racing Club as C E O.

The new face at the Valley will be Liam Smith, who spent five years at Cranbourne prior to taking up his new appointment.

Nothing has changed; Brad Rawiller arrived at Moonee Valley as if he had come out of a snow storm, all rugged up on a summer’s day, part of his recipe to keep his weight in check.

He is remarkably fit and riding in great form, with 70 winners this season, 15 in the city and 77 at the provincials.

There is no rest for the wicked, or at least not for Subzero, the 1992 Melbourne Cup winner, the 24 year old gelding is still living a busy lifestyle after retiring from racing, and later as a clerk of the course’s mount.

These days he is kept pretty busy, along with Graeme Salisbury, on an educational program visiting various centres promoting racing and the role of the horse.

The promotion sponsored by Racing Victoria, is proving a big success with 120 visits to schools, 20 to retirement villages, 15 specialist schools and six visits to the racing museum, plus outdoor functions at the M C G.