Trainer Tony Sears banks on Blue Desert Moon to extend unbeaten run at Caloundra

TONY Sears scaled a career high in the Weetwood and now he is warming to the idea of winning feature races in consecutive weeks.

Tony Sears with James Orman after Choice Bro's win in the Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

TONY Sears scaled a career high in the Weetwood and now he is warming to the idea of winning feature races in consecutive weeks.

Sears’ hopes lie with unbeaten filly Blue Desert Moon, who resumes in the Listed Mick Dittman Plate at Caloundra on Saturday.

Sears admitted he did it tough last Sunday at Gatton after Weetwood celebrations went long into the evening following Choice Bro’s last-to-first victory.

Sears’ three Gatton runners failed to salute, hardly helping a recovery.

“It was a pretty good celebration on Saturday and I had a sore head the next day, so it was back to reality heading out to Gatton,” Sears said.

Blue Desert Moon, who will be ridden again by Sears’ Weetwood-winning jockey James Orman, renews rivalries with key runners Big Tree, Perfect Dare, Secret Saga and Wicked Intent, all of whom she relegated to minor placings last time in.

“It was no surprise to me, because she’s always been able to gallop,” Sears said. “She’s come back bigger and stronger. I’ve given her two jump-outs and she’s definitely forward enough. I’m confident she can win.’’

Sears’ only proviso about a return this week would be a heavy track, as he does not want to risk flattening the filly first-up off a long break.

“It was always my plan to give her a really good break and then bring her back for a crack at the winter nice and fresh and I don’t want to jeopardise that,” Sears said.

Sears has not set a program for Blue Desert Moon, with Saturday’s race a key pointer to what might be on the horizon.

Blue Desert Moon has only been stretched as far as 1110m but Sears has no doubt there is scope for further. “She will run 1200m easily and it wouldn’t surprise me if she got a bit further,” he said. “I just kept her to those shorter races because that’s where the QTIS money was last time.”

â–  THE red-hot run of success by the Matt Dunn stable continued with a winning treble at Ipswich on Wednesday. Dunn won with Sky Heart, Flying Charger and Groovy Gal to make it 15 wins from only 32 runners since April 6.

Originally published as Trainer Tony Sears banks on Blue Desert Moon to extend unbeaten run at Caloundra