Moody adamant Delta wins at Flemington

By Brad Waters

MELBOURNE, April 4 AAP - Peter Moody needed just four words to declare his confidence in River Delta remaining unbeaten at Flemington.

Moody was assessing the chances of his Saturday runners on Melbourne radio station RSN on Friday morning when he was asked his opinion of River Delta's hopes in the Prudential Plate (1400m).

"Very good filly," was Moody's short reply.

The Caulfield trainer was equally succinct when asked directly if River Delta would win the race.

"Yes," Moody declared.

River Delta thrashed her rivals in a Yarra Valley maiden on debut last month.

Moody said he always expected River Delta to make the grade early in her career.

"In a couple of preps she has always shown good ability," he said.

"We have just had to wait for her. She's had a couple of niggles but she's finally matured."

Moody will set the filly for a stakes race in Sydney or Adelaide in the coming weeks if River Delta performs well at Flemington.

However, the trainer is excited about what lies ahead for River Delta next season.

"She's got the potential to be a top-class filly," Moody said.

"I think she's going to be a smashing four-year-old mare in the spring."

River Delta has a strong pedigree on her side.

The filly is a daughter of Al Maher out of River Crossing which makes River Delta a three-quarter sister to the classy Moody-trained mare Kulgrinda.

River Delta's dam is a half-sister to Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove who produced last season's $4 million yearling Emaratee.

Punters showed they agreed with Moody's assessment of River Delta's chances by backing the three-year-old from $3 into a dominant $2.50 favourite.