NO NERVES FOR VERVE

A drop in class and a positive ride were enough for Nerve Not Verve to turn her form around at Sandown today.

Nerve Not Verve raced outside the leader Mostly Sunny before moving into the lead on straightening and fending off the persistent challenge of Perennial to win the Ladbrokes Easy Form Handicap (2100m) for fillies and mares. by a head with Pres de Toi a half-length away in third.

Mike Moroney had intended taking Nerve Not Verve to Queensland for the winter carnival but a series of niggling setbacks kept her at Flemington.

Moroney said he was delighted to see the five-year-old daughter of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking return to form.

“I thought it was a really good win carrying the 61kg and she got a terrific ride,” Moroney said.

“She was down in class but there was some depth in the race and I thought under the circumstances she was really brave.

“She’s just had a series of little issues but it’s terrific to win today and I’d like to think she can be competitive in some of the better mares races in the spring.”

Nerve Not Verve was purchased as a yearling by bloodstock agent Bruce Perry out of Curraghmore’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock draft and is raced by a group of owners that includes Lib Petagna.