The end of the year is nearing, and we were back to Caulfield for the last meeting of the year at that venue. In fact there had been no racing there since Caulfield Cup day. The forecast for rain (10mm – 40mm) made form prediction a little tricky. As it eventuated, the track came up pretty near to perfect, after 30mm of rain in the morning.

Main races of the day were the Christmas Stakes (12oom) and the Lord Stakes (1700m). There was also a 2 y.o. race included in the program to make up for the cancelled meeting at Flemington the week prior.

HELL OF AN EFFORT

The 2 y.o. event had several first starters, a couple of which were fancied in the betting. On the third line of betting was the Peter Moody trained Hell Of An Effort, who had been successful at his first start at Geelong. The race was really never in any doubt, Hell Of An Effort jumped well led and was never in any trouble.

His sire Reward For Effort is putting in some solid stats early on in his second season, with 16 winners from 44 runners to date (3 stakes winners). His first season stats were also encouraging with 9 winners from 29, although with no stakes winners. The best performer to date is Gold Symphony who won the McNeil and Vain Stakes at Caulfield last spring.

HARRY COFFEY

Apprentice Harry Coffey started Boxing Day without a Stakes win to his name, but ended the day with two, taking out both the Christmas Stakes and the Lord Stakes for trainer Darren Weir

In the Christmas Stakes he sat Tuscan Sling just off the speed and drove him through a gap upon straightening to hold off the fast finishing favourite Reldas.

In the Lord Stakes Signoff wasn’t expected to feature in the finish after an injury enforced 37 week spell. However his class shone through as he finished fast and wide to hold off another class galloper coming off a spell, in Lidari.

Harry has a well documented battle with cystic fibrosis which really demonstrates the character of the guy. To put that aside and pursue a career path that is not easy for a healthy young man shows an extraordinary level of dedication. You can learn more about cystic fibrosis here http://www.cysticfibrosis.org.au/all/learn/