Moroney import primed for Hollindale

Trainer Mike Moroney expects Glass Harmonium to emerge as a genuine hope for the Doomben Cup after the imported stayer makes his Australian debut in the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Glass Harmonium was one of 13 nominations for the 1800m feature including Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner and fellow import My Kingdom Of Fife who will head north following trainer Chris Waller's decision to bypass the Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup on Friday.

Glass Harmonium was originally trained in England by Sir Michael Stoute before being transferred to Moroney following his failure in the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin last December.

He already is one of the best backed runners for the Doomben Cup, firming from $41 to $12 with TAB Sportsbet.

"He brings better form to Australia than My Kingdom Of Fife and he goes really good," Moroney said.

"He raced in a couple of Group Ones when he was in England and he won a Group Three over there.

"The day he won the Group Three he beat Redwood who ran second in the Sheema Classic in Dubai this year."

Glass Harmonium was recommended to his new Australian owners, which include Andrew Ramsden and John O'Neill, by Moroney's brother, Paul.

"We got him for nice money but it was nowhere near as much as they wanted the previous year when Lee Freedman chased him," Moroney said.

Glass Harmonium, who has won three of his 12 starts, ran for the first time for his new owners in the Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin in December but could only manage to beat one runner home.

"After Hong Kong he had to go back to England to quarantine before he came over to me and I've only had him for about 10 weeks," Moroney said.

"If he brings his English form here he'll be very competitive."

Moroney has pencilled in only two starts for Glass Harmonium during the Brisbane winter carnival including the Group One Doomben Cup (2020m) before the five-year-old spells to prepare for theGroup One Caulfield Cup in Melbourne during the spring.

"The Caulfield Cup will be his mission in the spring but I'll also nominate him for the Melbourne Cup," Moroney said.

Glass Harmonium won a barrier trial at Hawkesbury on April 18 in his only public appearance in Australia.

"He went quite well but the question mark with him is how he'll go if we get a wet track in the Hollindale," he said.

"Most of his form in England as been on top of the ground."

Last week's Gold Coast meeting was abandoned because of a heavy track and the weather bureau has forecast showers for later this week.

by Glenn Davis