Index Linked returned to winning form with a tough staying performance in the 2015 Mornington Cup Prelude at Caulfield this afternoon.
Index Linked had not recorded a race win since he beat The Cleaner in the Piping Lane Handicap (2000m) at Flemington over a year ago and he made a slow start to his autumn campaign, but he returned to a semblance of his best form with a second place finish in the Montague Jazz Apple Handicap (1800m) at Caulfield on February 14.
Jockey Glen Boss gave Index Linked a lovely run in transit and the Dansili gelding responded well when asked for an extra effort and he was too strong for Extra Zero and Big Memory in the final stages of the race.
Boss said after the race that he has developed a good association with Index Linked and he feels that the seven-year-old could prove to be very competitive in the Group 3 Mornington Cup (2400m) on March 28.
“Once he gets up to his optimal distance he really comes into his own,” Boss said.
“He is a funny horse, he goes good for me because you just need to have a bit of an understand, he has a bad head carriage and he looks like he pulls hard, but it is just his head carriage.
“You just need to go with him and not fight him.
“He has some decent form, he beat The Cleaner one day, and he is serious racehorse at this level.
“He will probably go to the Mornington race and he will run very well.
Justine Hales, the Melbourne stable foremen for Chris Waller, revealed after the race that she has a soft spot for Index Linked and she was clearly delighted to see the seven-year-old return to winning form in the Mornington Cup Prelude.
“He had a long lay-off and he has just taken that time to come back,” Hales said.
“He never lost his zest for racing and he is a very tough horse.
“I like the horse a lot, he has had his share of problems, but he is a big heart and he always tries.
“I think that we will keep him in this grade, he is going well and there is very good prizemoney.”
Index Linked is likely to clash with the likes of Extra Zero and Big Memory again in the Mornington Cup.
Source: horseracing.com.au
