What About Moses claims the $100,000 TABtouch Regional Championship Final at Ascot for Albany’s Steve Wolfe

Albany trainer Steve Wolfe believes What About Moses has the potential to be a Fitzpatrick Plate horse after claiming the $100,000 TABtouch Regional Championship Final (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday. What About Moses ($10) started in the final after winning the Albany heat of the championship on November 15, and he lined up in the feature alongside four fellow Great Southern gallopers. The five-year-old gelding was given a perfect run in transit just behind the leaders before cruising to the lead at the top of the straight for jockey Shaun McGruddy. After powering clear, the five-year-old held off the fast-finishing Absolute by a short head to bring the trophy back to Albany. Wolfe said What About Moses was a progressive horse. “He has always had plenty of ability and he has taken a while to mature,” Wolfe said. “I think he has enough ability to be a Fitzpatrick Plate horse with his turn of foot. “He stopped a bit and waited for them once he hit the lead, but the second horse ran the fastest 200m of the day, so that probably exaggerates it a bit. “We are pretty happy that he is starting to put it together because we are only just seeing the best of him.” Little Punga, trained by Mark Westtorp, finished a strong sixth in the final while the Des Attwell-trained Long Knife Brother was eighth and Magic Opus, prepared by Peter Western, finished 12th. Roy Rogers’ galloper Read The Riot Act was scratched behind the barriers after being found lame in the near-hind. McGruddy was suspended for 12 days after pleading guilty to careless riding aboard What About Moses. Meanwhile, Wild Fusion ran a terrific second for Albany trainer Liam O’Loughlin in the $100,000 TABtouch Westspeed Platinum Series Final (1400m), beaten half a length. After winning impressively first-up a fortnight ago, Wild Fusion settled midfield in running before Chris Parnham took him to the front on the home turn before they were grabbed by Glamour Packed at the 200m mark. Wolfe’s Mood Goddess ran home well from near last on the turn to finish fourth. Smart three-year-old Toscana from the Wolfe yard ran second in her city debut, while fellow Great Southern galloper Luke’s Gold ran fourth in Quayclean Handicap (1200m).