A brief look at the action at Moonee Valley on New Year’s Eve.

All clear on whip front 

The second metropolitan dead-heat in a fortnight has this time resulted in stewards posting all clear. 

At Flemington on December 17, Invincible Caviar and My Yankee Girl could not be separated, but Racing Victoria stewards entered their own protest. 

Blake Shinn, rider of My Yankee Girl, was found to have used the whip seven times more than permitted and in six consecutive strides which is outside the rules. 

At the conclusion of their hearing, RV stewards relegated My Yankee Girl into second place in a landmark decision. 

The Luke Oliver-trained Real Sensation and the Cliff Brown-trained Kwoi Hoi crossed the line together in the Entry Education Handicap (1600m) on Saturday and thoughts of the Flemington stewards' protest came flooding back for a number of patrons at Moonee Valley. 

RV stewards did have a look at the film before posting correct weight. 

Dance To Dubai on song at The Valley 

Trainer Peter Moody instructed apprentice Carlene Hefel not to hand up the lead to odds-on favourite Vermentino in the Raymond Martin Handicap (1200m) which led the mare to scoring a 2-¾ length victory. 

Now the job for Moody is to try and find a suitable stakes race for Dance To Dubai in a bid to raise her value after part-owner Wylie Dalziel and the ownership group decided to keep the mare and race on for another season. 

"We made the right decision not to sell this mare at the broodmare sale in June and it's paid dividends," Dalziel said. 

"If you can get a 'black type' Group race into them, a placing at least, their value soars. 

"Moods is looking to try and pick off some of the weaker 'black type' sort of stuff while trying to get another win out of her. 

"He's already suggested we might head to Tasmania and perhaps even Adelaide later on." 

Typhoon Harmony back in winning form 

After a winless streak of 13 months, Tycoon Harmony made it back to the winner's circle to claim the Sharp Extensive IT Handicap (1600m). 

The Peter Gelagotis-trained galloper had not scored since Ballarat Cup Day in 2021 but Gelagotis' brother Manny said there had been a number of factors why the gelding had been out of form. 

Gelagotis said the stable had tried to win some VOBIS Gold money last campaign but had possibly made some errors in the placement of Typhoon Harmony. 

"This campaign he ran well first-up, but he was very disappointing at Pakenham on Cup Day and out of that came some issues, so we treated the horse," Gelagotis said. 

"Today's race at the weights looked his race if he was the real Typhoon Harmony of old. 

"And he certainly won like that." 

Youth wins out over maturity 

The Peter Moody-trained three-year-old filly River Noire was giving away years of experience to her rivals in the Ladbrokes Mates Mode Handicap (1200m). 

While the majority of her rivals were four, five and six-year-old geldings, there was one, Kalashani Lad, that is 12 years old, and it was left to him to chase down his younger opponent. 

River Noire has just started her racing career winning two of her three racetrack appearances while Kalashani Lad, a winner at Bendigo on December 11, was having his 80th start on Saturday, registering 12 wins along the way. 

Kalashani Lad was a nine-year-old when River Noir was born and while the old boy still has the zest for racing, he is in the twilight of his career and has to retire come August 1. 

"Pete made the comment what an interesting game racing is," assistant-trainer Katherine Coleman said. 

"The runner-up was nine when our horse was born, but she has done an amazing job as she's a lightly raced little filly that was on a massive learning curve today. 

"Thing's didn't quite pan out as we thought we might have been able to come across outside the leader, but it looked a bit messy, but Daniel (Stackhouse) was able to get her into a nice spot." 

Coleman said River Noir had done an excellent job in her first racing preparation and would not be surprised if the decision was made to spell the filly. 

Quote of the day 

"All Grace's family, my aunty, are in the horse. I was very nervous and had a dry mouth, so I'm glad it worked out and we can go to Gold Coast and have a lot of fun" - co-trainer Ben Hayes after Croatian Belle booked her ticket to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.