Ballymore horses in the news

AAP

Star filly Brazilian Pulse, who resumes in Saturday's Group Two Kewney Stakes at Flemington, remains a chance to complete the VRC Oaks-AJC Australian Oaks double.

Trainer Mike Moroney said he was still considering fast-tracking the VRC Oaks winner to the Sydney Classic on April 16 but the Doncaster Mile (1600m) was also an option on the same day.

He said Brazilian Pulse would be limited to a maximum of five autumn starts and that she would reach the 2400m Oaks on her third run.

"It a decision we have got to make after this race," Moroney said.

"She could go to the Doncaster Mile or we could throw her in the deep end over 2000 metres in the Rosehill Guineas," Moroney said.

"The Oaks is a possibility but she would have go through the Rosehill Guineas or the Storm Queen (Vinery Stud Stakes)."

The Rosehill Guineas is on March 26 and the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill a week later.

The winner of four of her six starts, Brazilian Pulse improved as she stepped up in distance in the spring.

After being placed in both the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) and Group One Thousand Guineas (1600m) she landed the Group Two Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and Group One VRC Oaks (2500m).

Moroney said it was by design that Brazilian Pulse was having a delayed start to the autumn in the Kewney.

"It is the logical race for her being 1400 metres for her first-up and run at set weights (55.5kg)," Moroney said.

The daughter of Captain Rio would have carried 58.5kg had she started two weeks ago in the Armanasco Stakes (1400m) which is a traditional lead-up to the Kewney.

Brazilian Pulse is $4.80 favourite with TAB Sportsbet to emulate Faint Perfume who last year won the Kewney first-up after winning the VRC Oaks.

Faint Perfume went on to finish second to Once Were Wild in last year's AJC Australian Oaks.

Should Brazilian Pulse go one better she would be the 14th filly in the post-war era to win the VRC Oaks-AJC Australian Oaks double.

Such a feat would surely delight Moroney but he is treating the autumn as a precursor to the richer races later in the year.

"We are mainly interested in the spring with her," he said.

Flamboyant owner John O'Neill bought into Brazilian Pulse last spring and is also part-owner of the Lee Freedman-trained Ain'tnofallenstar who is equal second favourite for the Kewney at $6.50 with Peter Moody's Do Ra Mi.

The Herald Sun, Michael Manley

TRAINER Mike Moroney acknowledges tomorrow is a big day for his stable as the future of his best three horses will be decided.

His star three-year-old filly Brazilian Pulse resumes in the Kewney Stakes, sprinter King Pulse will contest the Newmarket Handicap and promising three-year-old colt Absolutelyawesome will run in the Randwick Guineas at Warwick Farm.

Moroney said he was uncertain of Brazilian Pulse's future, in terms of a Sydney campaign.

"Unfortunately, the Coolmore (Classic at Rosehill on March 19) comes up a week earlier this year, which doesn't fit into our plans," he said.

Moroney said his choices were to step Brazilian Pulse up in distance and look at the Rosehill Guineas and the AJC Oaks or concentrate on the Doncaster Handicap.

Last spring Brazilian Pulse completed her first racing preparation in fine style by winning the Wakeful Stakes and then the VRC Oaks, beating Shamrocker to take her record to four wins from six starts.

Moroney selected the Kewney Stakes as Brazilian Pulse's comeback race some time ago and said her preparation had been trouble free.

"It's good prizemoney ($500,000) and it's set weights so it's a great race to kick off her campaign," he said.

Moroney said Brazilian Pulse had two jump-outs at Flemington and won both easily.

King Pulse is lining up for his second crack at the Newmarket and Moroney is hoping he can recapture his best form.

He finished fourth last year but after the race, when the storm hit Flemington, he took fright and slipped and broke his pelvis.

Moroney has Absolutelyawesome running in the Randwick Guineas with Glen Boss on board.

"Bossy has a big opinion of him but he's a maiden taking on some smart horses. He needs to start earning some money if he's to get into a race like the AJC Derby," he said.

The Age, Andrew Garvey

BLACK Caviar remains a $1.30 favourite for Saturday's group 1 Newmarket Handicap after drawing barrier eight.

Just 11 rivals will try to stop the mare securing her 10th straight win. One of those horses is King Pulse, who finished fourth in last year's Newmarket before being badly injured after the race.

Saturday's race will be just his second start back and trainer Mike Moroney is realistic about his chances.

Advertisement: Story continues below They're horses and they can all have their off days. Let's hope we see her off her game, that's about all we can hope for. If he can run a nice race behind her then we'd be quite happy, Moroney said.

The trainer said King Pulse had gone into his first-up assignment in the Lightning Stakes too fresh and had been very agitated before then race.

He's gone on nicely since [the Lightning] and will be better suited over the extra 200 metres, he said.

At Sandown yesterday Moroney unearthed a Warrnambool Cup contender with Little Slapper, who won the 2400-metre handicap. After being up on the speed all the way, Little Slapper ($18) held off a late challenge from Kincaple ($4.40) to win by a short half-head.

Racing And Sports

Flemington trainer Mike Moroney will have a throw at the Group 1 stumps when he lines up Absolutelyawesome in Saturday's Group 1 Turnpoint Guineas (1600m) at Warwick Farm.

The three-year-old, a son of Zenno Rob Roy, turned in a slashing fresh-up run in the C.S. Hayes Stakes but failed to gain a start in last weekend's Group 1 Australian Guineas on his home track.

Moroney has targeted Saturday's Group 1 for three-year-olds in Sydney now, though, and is confident Absolutelyawesome can make his presence felt.

At his first and only run of the autumn, Absolutelyawesome tackled the 1400m of the C.S. Hayes but was forced to go back from a wide gate to last.

He was there throughout but made excellent ground in the run home, finishing a close-up fifth behind Bullbars.

Moroney is confident the extra ground will suit on Saturday but his main aim of the autumn is to target the AJC Derby further into the carnival.

“The horse has always shown us a bit but did a lot wrong in the spring,” Moroney said.

“His (fresh) run as good at Flemington. We had to go back from the draw and he hit the line very well.

“I feel sure that at some stage he's going to make a nice horse.

“He's getting towards a Derby prep all going well but in saying that he showed a good sprint over 1400m and has won over 1200m, so he does have a bit of zip.”

Absolutelyawesome drew barrier one where he will be ridden by Glen Boss, keen to stay aboard him in Sydney despite having to miss out on Super Saturday in Melbourne on the same day.

In Melbourne, Moroney has King Pulse lining up in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap.

The gelding ran a slashing fourth in the race last year but during the wild storm that followed he was badly injured in railing leaving the track.

He sat on the sidelines for almost 12 months before making his return with a seventh in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes behind Black Caviar.

Although well beaten by the mare, Moroney said there were excuses as to the margin as he had played up prior to the race.

“He ran his race before the race. We thought we had him pretty forward considering he'd been off for 12 months. He had a couple of jumpouts and the signs were good but when it came to race day he was well above himself.

“Mark (Zahra) said in the parade area he was very sweaty and agitated and he got to the gates and wanted to muck around there, and then had a problem with the saddle.

“Mark came back and said although on paper it looked disappointing but he ran better than it looked.

“He thought the run would have done him the world of good so fingers crossed he can be more relaxed on raceday.”

King Pulse will be ridden by Corey Brown this weekend where he meets Black Caviar far better at the weights under the handicap conditions.

Moroney also has Crown Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse resuming in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes.

The filly is being aimed at the Australian Oaks in Sydney and Moroney feels Saturday's race is the ideal starting point to her autumn campaign.

“We feel she's forward enough to run. She's a filly that no matter what distance we run her at she's been competitive.

“She's had a couple of jump-outs and won both of them. She had a nice hit-out with King Pulse on the course proper yesterday.

“It's a reasonable field and she's an Oaks winner so you'd question whether she could win it over 1400m but it's a good start for her.