John Moore's pursuit of the trainers' championship gained one more player at Happy Valley on Wednesday night when Happy Meteor's first tilt at Class Four proved a very worthwhile one indeed.
While the four-year-old didn't win, his second built on some handy Class Three runs and produced something right up with his best Australian effort, when he had run on to win a maiden at Gosford last August.
There was no advantage to him racing on the C+3 course as Happy Meteor's overseas form suggested he is best held up, but Douglas Whyte was able to find a good spot three back along the rail and close enough without compromising his finish.
He found the line well enough to run the winner, Wonderful Fighter, to a length after giving him a start in the race and 16 pounds at the weights.
The handicapper has pushed Happy Meteor back up to Class Three for the effort with a one point increase in his rating to 61, which makes the job of winning one before the season ends just that little harder. But, with a light weight in a suitable Class Three, the gelding is still a chance at his final appearance this season and ready to strike early in the new term if it works out that way, too.
Heading in the other direction is So Caffe, who drops to Class Four next start after another excellent run, producing the best sectional effort of the evening behind Supreme Essence over 1,650m. In truth, it was a race where the sectionals were strong for most due to the walking pace of the leaders which left them all with plenty for the finish, but that pace also prevented back runners from getting into the race.
So Caffe was one of those, surrendering out of the gates from an outside draw and racing near the tail of the field most of the race before his powerful finish.
He has done this several times lately, is going particularly well and should be just better than a Class Four field if trainer Sean Woods can get him back to the races before season's end.
