Racing
Moody filly lights up Doncaster Day at Randwick
Sheza Alibi has annihilated her rivals in a Doncaster Mile win for the ages.
Peter Moody was rarely moved to tears during the career of undefeated champion Black Caviar, but the larrikin trainer was unashamedly emotional after superstar filly Sheza Alibi produced a breathtaking Doncaster Mile performance that had to be seen to be believed.
Settling near the tail of the 16-horse field, the $1.90 favourite had many lengths to make up rounding the home turn but took just a handful of bounds to gather in her opposition, streeting clear to down Autumn Boy ($10) by a widening 4-1/4 lengths.
Moody, who reached racing's highest echelons with Black Caviar, hails from the Queensland country town of Charleville but cut his teeth in racing at Randwick.
Working for the great T J Smith, he strapped 1988 Doncaster winner Lygon Arms and was thrilled to return almost 40 years later and claim it as a trainer, in partnership with Katherine Coleman.
"I remember my time with T J and that's why it's always special. Randwick was always home to me," Moody said.
"I've been blessed to train one of the greatest we have ever seen, but this filly is just amazing. I'm not saying she is Black Caviar, but how good.
"She is just a special, special horse. Crikey. Where's the ceiling? You don't know."
Sheza Alibi became the first three-year-old filly to win a Doncaster Mile (1600m) since the mighty Sunline in 1999, and while the hoped for clash with unbeaten mare Autumn Glow didn't eventuate, Moody is excited for the day it does.
Autumn Glow was in the Doncaster mix, but connections decided to head to next week's Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) instead.
"I'm happy Autumn Glow wasn't here, I can tell you that," Moody said.
"She's a superstar and we saw her strut her stuff here earlier in the day (in an exhibition gallop).
"The day will probably come - let's hope it does for Australian racing - where they meet."
A $10,000 online buy who was beaten on debut in a maiden at Rockhampton, Sheza Alibi has now won seven of her 10 starts and Moody says there is nothing about her physically to mark her as a budding champion.
"She is so nondescript. She doesn't stand out in the yard. She doesn't stand out at home in training. She is just a tradesman, she's got a great hip, a big deep girth and a hell of a lot of ability," he said.
It was jockey Jamie Melham 's second Doncaster Mile triumph after guiding Cascadian to victory in 2021, and while she had to waste hard to get down to Sheza Alibi's 49kg handicap, it proved worth the effort.
"I've sat on some very special horses before, but I don't think any come close to the feel she just gave me then," Kah said.
"What a horse. I trialled her the other day and she gave me a nice feel, but with blinkers on today, Jesus Christ. I've never sat on a horse that has given me goosebumps like that before."
In front of a crowd of over 15,000, Sheza Alibi was in a race of her own, but Autumn Boy was game in defeat, while his Chris Waller -trained stablemate Militarize ($41) stuck on well for third, 1-1/4 lengths behind the runner-up.
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