Promising galloper Pied A Terre can bounce back to winning form as he returns to his own age in today's Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes (race 5) at Caulfield.
Prepared at Flemington by leading trainer Peter Snowden, the three year old took on the older horses last time and ran a top race but looks hard to beat as he returns to his own age over 1400m for today's Group 2 feature.
Pied A Terre, a son of Ad Valorem, made his debut over 1200m at Moonee Valley as a juvenile and after settling off the speed came with a big finish to score by over a length from Valrouz.
He then stepped up to 1400m at Flemington and after settling midfield early made a sustained dash, again proving too strong and scoring by three quarters of a length from Motorised.
After a spell he returned this season in December anmd kicked off over 1200m at Moonee Valley.
Sitting third throughout, he coasted away to win by 1.5 lengths over Smokin' Joey.
Last start, tested against the older horses, he tackled the Listed Chester Manifold Stakes.
There he drew wide and settled sixth in the run, before running on strongly at the finish to beat all bar At The Heads.
Pied A Terre drops back to his own age here and will be fitter again.
He has drawn awkwardly in barrier 12 but is yet to run a bad race and has a good turn of foot when needed.
His Manifold rating holds him in good stead in this race and he should prove hard to beat.
Trainer Peter Moody has always had a big opinion of the More Than Ready colt Huegill and he looks ready to improve sharply in today's race.
The colt was dropped back in grade last year to have a kill, taking his maiden at Cranbourne by six lengths.
He then returned to town over 1400m at Sandown Lakeside and sat off the speed before running on for a comfortable win.
Last start before a spell, over a mile in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas, he sat off the speed but rallied strongly in the straight to grab third behind Helmet.
That rating obviously sees him certainly good enough to take this out.
After a spell Huegill resumed over 1200m in the Listed Zedative Stakes which is often a good guide to this race.
He drew wide and sat back in sixth place before working home steadily to finish sixth behind Instinction, beaten 2.3 lengths.
He is much better placed at the 1400m journey and has drawn for a soft run here form barrier one.
With a good smother off the speed he should be winding up strongly in the straight.
Specter ran very well in the Zedative and looks a strong each way chance in this.
Like Huegill, he also race din the Caulfield Guineas in the spring, winding up late to finish fourth.
He resumed this campaign with a fast finishing second in the Zedative when beaten less than two lengths.
He has drawn wide today but was a winner at this trip at his only second up run and should be finishing off strongly.
The top three in the weights, Benfica, Collar and Proliferate, are worth including in the multiples.
Benfica has had the benefit of one run when last in the Zedative but can improve sharply at odds, while the latter pair are resuming and can also do well here.
