A DOUBLE AT GEELONG AND WE LIFT THE CUP

A double at Geelong for Ballymore Stables on Wednesday with Vengeur Masque in the Geelong Cup following the win of Potemkin earlier in the day.

Mike Moroney put the ear muffs on Vengeur Masque and asked Patrick Moloney to ride the import more forward and the instructions were followed to the letter.

Having got across from his wide barrier to be second out of the home straight the first time, Moloney stalked the leader Lizzie L’Amour in second place until passing the 600m where he began to up the tempo.

Vengeur Masque struck the front around the home turn then stayed on bravely to repel the challenges from Gallic Chieftain and Grey Lion to score his first stakes success.

Moroney said adding ear muffs to Vengeur Masque’s gear helped the gelding settle better early in the $300,000 race.

“We just thought today that with the ears (ear muffs) on that if he began well, we’d go a bit further forward,” Moroney said.

“It was just a matter of tinkering with his gear and getting him to relax.”

Moroney said the way Vengeur Masque keeps improving reminded him of his 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew with the way he progressed from a Listed win at Flemington to the Melbourne Cup winner in four starts.

“He's always shown us he is capable of winning a good race and has only just really come of age,” Moroney said.

“He’s a similar sort of horse to Brew in that when they get strong, they can keep up a gallop and he’s finally starting to get there.

“He’s just had no luck at all with barriers this preparation but Patrick gave him a lovely ride and the horse was very brave.”

Brew won the Lexus Stakes to make the Melbourne Cup field in 2000 and Moroney said Vengeur Masque might tackle the same race on Victoria Derby day in a bid to make the Melbourne Cup field.

Earlier in the day Potemkin was another to benefit from a positive Moloney ride to win race three, the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1700m.

It was the ninth start this preparation for the son of Testa Rossa and Moroney said he would like to try Potemkin at 2000m this preparation before heading to the paddock.

“He came here very fit - we don’t have to do too much with him in between runs. He’s done a terrific job this prep and I’d love to give him a try at 2000m before we tip him out,” Moroney said.

“He’s out of a Zabeel mare and even though his brother Murcielaga who we trained was a 1400m type, Potemkin looks a bit more like Zabeel so I’d like to try him over a bit further.

“I think he can make into a Saturday class horse and is maturing all the time.”