Taking Winning Stock

A horse who showed plenty of potential last spring, Rising Stock has come back all the bigger and stronger and judging by the strength of his first up win at Warrnambool on Tuesday there are betting things to come.

Having his first run since late November, the son of Tavistock did not have his maiden handed to him on a platter, the bay having to work hard early from a tricky wide gate in a small field.

But he was not to be denied, when challenged over the final stages by Bel Witness fresh on the scene he dug deep – sticking his nose out where it mattered to break his maiden at his fifth start.

“It was a good brave win,” said jockey Jake Noonan who admitted that his ride was “not a pretty one.”

“But he was the best horse in the race and I rode him accordingly.”

“He showed consistent form last time in,” he added, “and he is obviously going to stretch out over a trip.”

Another bargain purchase by Paul Moroney, Rising Stock is the fifth winner for the winning Stravinsky mare Wahaha whose half-brother Wallstreet was also bought by him as a yearling – going on to win four Group One races.

Congratulations to happy owners Ballymore Stables (Aust) Pty Ltd, K Holzapfel, C Dunn, Yes Mon Racing Syndicate (manager Peter Nicolas), G Leverington, L Xu, S Brown, D Lonard, P Dillon, D Cassar, A Cassar, M Cassar, C Dimovski, J Dimovski and L Dimovski.

Hopefully our winning run continues on Wednesday when we are represented by a nice group of horses at two meetings in Victoria and Tasmania.

Taking his place in the $225,000 Group Three Launceston Cup, Garud has drawn nicely in barrier five with Dwayne Dunn to ride.

Below his best when unplaced in the Hobart Cup a couple of weeks ago, the High Chaparral gelding was scoped post-race and found to have a degree of mucous; certainly enough to explain his performance.

“He must’ve developed it whilst travelling down to Tasmania,” Michael Moroney noted, “but it is all clear now and he is well. I have been really happy with him and he has drawn a better gate this time.”

“We were confident that he could win last time and nothing has changed going into this race, he looks a great chance.”

Moroney is also happy about the chances of Ballymore’s three Sandown runners kicking off with Courageous Rock who contests the Grand Hotel Frankston Plate.

To jump from barrier four with Damian Lane aboard, the imported galloper caught the eye at his local debut finishing off strongly after getting back off a tardy start.

Well suited by an extra 400m on Wednesday, he is expected to run boldly.

“He will like it even longer but we expect him to prove extremely competitive in an 1800m maiden,” Moroney said – “he looks pretty hard to beat.”

Hopefully we are cheering home a running double with War Legend lining up in the following race, the Guinot Skincare Handicap over 1300m.

Racing greenly at his debut last month, the Rip Van Winkle two-year-old strikes a field of progressive types but, as Moroney noted, “he is one of them.”

“We have added the blinkers which seems to have improved his manners. He ran about a bit last time which proved costly but with natural improvement he can finish right in the thick of things.”

Our Valdivia is our third and final Sandown runner, due to line up the fourth heat of the Mitavite Challenge over 1500m.

Racing in great heart of late, the Don Eduardo four-year-old stormed home late after swinging widest into the straight at Warrnambool last time out and the extra 100m this time looks ideal.

“He is in terrific form and has really being going from strength to strength this time in.”

“He has had a few weeks in between runs but that really doesn’t seem to bother him and he should not stay in this sort of class for too much longer.”