Extra Noble To Atone

Imported galloper Extra Noble did not have much luck at his Australian debut last month, the four-year-old trapped wide when resuming over 1350m at Rosehill.

“It was a waste of a run,” Michael Moroney rued, “he had a torrid time!”

Fortunately however the four-year-old, who showed plenty of potential for us in the UK prior to injury, took no harm from the run and he is nicely primed for a step up to 1600m at Sandown on Wednesday.

Yet to finish out of the first two in three starts at the trip, the son of Sir Percy strips fitter for the Sydney run and Moroney is expecting a much better showing.

“He can improve considerably and from the good draw (barrier four for the in-form Michael Dee) he should prove hard to beat.”

On Thursday we take The Hotz to the Seymour meeting but 1600m is likely to prove a bit too short for the stayer who is having only his second run this time around.

Meanwhile we await a scratching in Saturday’s feature, the $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes with our talented but somewhat unlucky filly Serenade declared the first emergency.

Drawn well in barrier seven, the Star Witness filly caught the eye with a strong late finish off a tardy start when a close-up fourth in the Magic Night Stakes last weekend.

“She did a good job to be beaten only 3/4 of a length,” Moroney said, “and she has improved since.”