There are some victories built on raw speed, while others are built on patience. Itazura’s first win at Flemington on Saturday was a wonderful example of the latter.

After settling comfortably in the early stages, Luke Nolen allowed Itazura to gradually improve into the race without asking for an early effort. By the time the field approached the home turn, the gelding had worked his way into a handy midfield position, travelling strongly and full of running.

As the leaders straightened for home, Luke patiently waited for the right moment before asking Itazura to extend. The response was immediate. Producing his trademark acceleration, Itazura lengthened beautifully over the final stages, sweeping past his rivals to record an impressive first Flemington victory.

It was a ride that perfectly matched the horse’s strengths—measured, confident and full of trust.

Congratulations to Luke Nolen on a beautifully judged ride and to Peter Moody, Katherine Coleman and the entire Moody Racing team, whose preparation once again had Itazura ready to perform on the big stage.

A special congratulations also goes to Wylie Dalziel and our fantastic Dalziel Racing ownership group. Successes like this are shared by everyone involved, and there’s nothing quite like celebrating a win together.

Every horse wins differently.

This time, Itazura reminded us that sometimes the best move isn’t the earliest one—it’s the perfectly timed one.

Congratulations to all connections on a memorable Flemington success!

If you’d like to experience the excitement of racehorse ownership and be part of a winning team, explore our current ownership opportunities at dalzielracing.com.