Multaja impressive in Moonee Valley return

Jockey Dwayne Dunn rides Multaja to win race 3 at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Multaja has stamped herself as a filly on the rise with a dominant win at Moonee Valley to remain unbeaten from two starts.

The Godolphin-owned, James Cummings-trained filly cruised home to win by 3-1/2-lengths on debut at Werribee in April and made her return in Saturday’s SAJ Fruits Handicap (1000m) for three-year-old fillies.

Jockey Dwayne Dunn drifted back from a wide gate and was able to slot in midfield with a three-wide trail behind eventual runner-up Pippie.

Multaja ($4.80) was in clear running on straightening at the top of the straight and let down strongly to race away in the final 100m, beating Pippie ($5) by two lengths with another length to Fidelia ($9) third.

“That was very good,” Dunn said.

“She got a good run in transit obviously, but you had to believe what you saw at Werribee and she has had the time off and come back and won again today.

“I’m really impressed the way she just takes a step forward all the time.”

Dunn said Multaja was pretty sharp at the shorter distances so far and would like to see the filly race again before determining what might be her ideal distances.