Captain Moore kicks a goal for promising sire

Burrumbeet trainer Michael Stanley took a chance when sending his harness racing mare Our Chelsea Girl to the rookie stallion Soho Lanikai a few years ago, and his gamble paid off at Kilmore last Thursday.

The two-year-old colt Captain Moore was the resulting progeny of that mating and he has shown plenty of ability so far in his career, placing on debut at Cranbourne last month before breaking through for his maiden triumph in the Broadstead Kilmore Pace.

“At his first start he pulled and wouldn’t relax but was still able to finish off and that was encouraging,” Stanley, who also bred, owns and drives the colt, said.

“At Kilmore he settled well and did everything right and showed good speed to sprint home on the heavy track. When the second favourite came up beside him he really dug in and wanted to win, so that really shows a good trait in a young horse.”

Captain Moore, named after the skipper of the Collingwood AFL team Darcy Moore, is one of the first small crop of the Somebeachsomewhere horse Soho Lanikai, who stands at Stanley’s property.

“We’ve got one called Soho Empire State who’s had two starts and ran second at his first start but was a little bit disappointing at his second. We’ve given him a bit of a freshen up and he’s ready to go again,” Michael said.

“We also have a filly called Soho Pina Colada who has won a trial and shows really good ability, while Steven Duffy won a trial at Shepparton on the same night as Captain Moore won with another of his progeny in Mad Punta.”

Soho Lanikai, who was trained by Stanley, won the 2020 Victoria Premiere Stakes at Melton by a staggering 65 metres in 1:54 – only a tick outside the track record – at his only start before a back injury halted his career.

“Soho Lanikai was by far my sharpest two-year-old early of his year and that year I ended up having Bar Room Banta, who won the NSW Breeders Challenge and became the quickest two-year-old in Australasia, Soho Almasi, who won the Breeders Challenge and became the quickest two-year-old filly in Australasia, the Listed winners Soho Bollinger and Drain The Swamp as well as Rock N Roll Doo,” Stanley said.

“It was a really strong crop I had that year and early on we thought that Soho Lanikai was every bit one of our better two-year-olds.”

A member of the same maternal family as Group 1 winners Make Mine Cullen, Supersonic Miss, Goodtime Heaven and Captain Hammerhead, Soho Lanikai is standing for a modest service fee of $2,200 this season.

Australian Pacing Gold has announced that its 2025 Melbourne yearling sale will be held at Oaklands Junction on Sunday, February 2. Nominations are now open

Jauriol, the former 2YO and 3YO Trotter of the Year, was represented by the smart Melton trotting winner Hatchback last weekend. The gelding has now won 13 races and more than $200,000

The 2010/2011 Victorian Breeder of the Year the late Jack Munnerley ranks as the breeder of the promising four-year-old Benbullan, who notched his third success at Warragul

by Peter Wharton, for Harness Racing Victoria