$1m yearling rolled at $1.22 in Monday maiden at Werribee
Ailyak (left) nails hot fav Money Team
Favourite backers got off to a red-hot start at Werribee on Monday, but things took a sharp turn when $1 million yearling Money Team ($1.22) was taken care of by Ailyak in race three on the card.
Whiskey Tango ($1.70 TAB fixed) and Corrupted ($1.40) both saluted in the opening two races on the card, and punters would've been licking their lips when the shortest of all three, Money Team, jumped as a $1.22 favourite in the following event.
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However, if punters were hoping for an easy watch, it soon became apparent they were in for anything but, with the colt away moderately before settling behind leader Jay Bee Ell and succumbing to pressure from Ailyak as the field turned for home.
Jockey Damian Lane pulled the persuader on Money Team and despite hard riding, the colt was breezed past by Ailyak - trained by Ciaron Maher - who went on to score a comfortable 2¼ length win, bringing many punters back down to earth in the process.
Son of Grunt, Ailyak, drives by Money Team & delivers a lovely performance on debut 👌@cmaherracing@jamieleemottpic.twitter.com/7DmVfQHEel
- Racing.com (@Racing) May 6, 2024
A three-year-old son of blue-chip sire I Am Invincible, Money Team was a $1 million purchase at the 2022 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, and is out of Group Three-winning mare The Pinnacle.
Trained by Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr, it was the colt's third consecutive runner-up result, after a distant third-place finish at Gosford in April.
The colt made the first of his five career starts at the Sunshine Coast in the Group 3 Ken Russell (1200m) - where he finished ninth - under trainer Kacy Fogden in May last year.
Despite his hefty price tag, the colt is struggling to live up to expectations, and punters may find it difficult to trust him next time around.
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