MELTED Moments returns to Gunnedah’s Riverside Racecourse on Saturday, chasing back-to-back $10,000 Royal Hotel Iris Rennie Memorial Manilla Cups (1600m).
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The Paul Grills-trained seven-year-old bay gelding won the feature race last year when the Armidale thoroughbred debuted in winning style for his Armidale trainer. He also raced there in early July but was seventh to Congelator in the 1600m Curlewis Cup.
Melted Moments, who has won eight of his 44 starts for almost $127,000 in prizemoney, is in better form than his Curlewis Cup effort.
“He is back in form,” Grills said. “His weight is back down to 59kg too. He’s been working alright as well although I haven’t done much with him, don’t have to.”
The gelding returned to winning form at Scone recently, over 1600m, then went to Grafton where he was beaten into fifth by Dustman, but beaten less than three lengths.
Next it was off to Moree for a good second to Eljetem in the 1400m Moree Cup and then another second at Tamworth to Dustman.
Following that he was a good fourth to Phrases in the Port Macquarie Cup Prelude.
Last year he won at Tamworth and Armidale following his Manilla Cup success.
On Saturday he will have Allan Chau on board and they jump from barrier two.
“Allan rode him at Moree,” Grills said.
“Rode him well, let him bowl along. But that’s the hard part, you’ve got to let him do what he wants to do as best you can.”
Melted Moments can be a “prick of a horse to ride”, Grills said.
Every jockey earns their pay packet with the son of Any Given Saturday and Paul has no doubt Chau will be tested again, even in a small five-horse field for Saturday’s Manilla Cup.
Grills also has Young Huit and Ab Roy running Saturday and could easily return home with a trifecta of wins if they all race at their best.
The Manilla Cup meeting is a six-race Country TAB 2 meeting, with all six races worth $10,000.
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