Covent Garden Blooms for Moody

Odd-spot: Jay Livingston’s lyrics, A horse is a horse of course of course, has become synonymous with the ‘talking’ horse, Mr Ed. Unlike, say, champion weightlifter X’s brother who couldn’t lift his own school bag, and champion swimmer Y’s sister who needed floaties in a bathtub, Winx’s half-sister Covent Garden (Exceed and Excel) is oblivious to who her world-famous sibling is, and probably couldn’t care less even if we could tell her. It’s human nature to want a filly like Covent Garden to be special and yet, ultimately, she’s just another racehorse until she proves in her own time that she’s better than that. In breaking her maiden on Tuesday at Pakenham at her first start for champion Black Caviar’s trainer Peter Moody, she’s no doubt added value to what was already a few million dollar-plus price point, and has also taken the first step to living up to the genetics on her pedigree page. Unlike gobble-them-up heroine Winx, Covent Garden seems to be an on-pace type, and will reportedly soon get a chance to test herself in Melbourne midweek city company when there’s a forecast for a firm track. Her unfolding career is one that will be watched with considerable interest from far and wide, but particularly by owner-breeder John Camilleri who knows it's okay to dream but not to expect too much of his young filly (see below). If only she could talk.

“You can’t expect any horse to live up to Winx. But you can dream about it, it costs nothing."

Owner John Camilleri on his hopes for Covent Garden (pictured as a foal at Segenhoe), Winx's little sister, ahead of her likely debut at Warwick Farm.

READ: https://t.co/Tzhrvwoddp pic.twitter.com/7pi2pkP8U8

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) June 7, 2020