SOUND READY FOR CUP CHALLENGE

Our Zipping Classic winner Sound travels to New Zealand later tonight as he bids to add some Cup wins to his record.

The eight-year-old stallion, pictured with regular rider and our resident vet Dr Emma Wood, is set to tackle the Avondale Cup on Saturday week with Troy Harris booked for the ride before the Group 1 Auckland Cup over 3200m at Ellerslie on March 13.

Sound resumed with a luckless run at Caulfield on January 30 where he found traffic in the home straight before finishing sixth, beaten just over two lengths, however, the style of performance convinced his Melbourne Cup-winning trainer his import had retained his zest for racing.

“He’s an eight-year-old stallion but you wouldn’t know it around the stable,” Mike Moroney said. “He’s a quiet kind horse and a real favourite with everyone so there will be a few sad faces tomorrow morning when he’s not in his box.

“He had no luck at Caulfield which was just the way the race was run and I think had he been able to get clear running he nearly wins the race which his stablemate Hang Man dead-heated with Defibrillate.”

Sound is no stranger to New Zealand having finished a gallant runner-up in last year’s Auckland Cup and Moroney has plotted a similar path to the race this year.

“He went into last year’s race at Ellerslie off a spring preparation and had the two runs here before travelling last year,” Moroney said.

“He retained a good degree of residual fitness from his last spring campaign and he is clearly up to winning a race like the Auckland Cup which would be terrific as he has a large percentage of New Zealand ownership and runs in Gerard Peterson's purple and white livery.

“He’s still a stallion and a lovely horse with a future at stud but we’re looking forward to winning some more races with him before then.

“He did a smart piece of work on the grass Tuesday and I’m confident if he runs up to his best he’ll be the horse to beat in both races.”