Talented Alma on the Rise

Gifted stayer Alma Rise turned her fortunes around stylishly at Echuca to claim top honours in the Country Oaks over 210 metres.

Little had gone the way off the daughter of Almanzor in her opening two runs this preparation and the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained the four-year-old bounced back to her best with an emphatic performance.

She loped along in fifth spot away from the rail before rider Craig Williams urged her four wide around runners 600 metres from home.

They were in front before the turn and Alma Rise stayed on strongly to have two lengths on her closest rival at the post.

“She hasn’t had much luck in her last few, so Craig took all the bad luck out of it, and it was a convincing win,” Moody said.

“She’s a lovely staying mare, it was very pleasing.”

Alma Rise has now won four of her 10 starts and was also runner-up in last season’s Listed VRC St Leger over 2800 metres.

She is co-raced by her breeder Ed Calvert and is a daughter of the Bertolini mare Fashion Black, who was successful on six occasions.

Fashion Black is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner and sire Xtravagant whose brother He’s Remarkable was a Group 3 winner and placed at the elite level.

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