Glass Harmonium joins stable

by Tim Habel, Herald Sun

A GROUP of Melbourne owners will race English galloper Glass Harmonium in next month's Hong Kong Cup, who will then be prepared at Flemington next year by trainer Mike Moroney.

Moroney's brother Paul went on a "recruiting drive" in England this month and bought 11 horses - nine stayers and middle-distance gallopers, including Glass Harmonium - and two sprinters.

The other 10 horses will leave England on December 2 for quarantine in New Zealand for two weeks.

"We were looking to buy ready-made horses and with the way the dollar is and the economy is over there we thought the timing was right," Mike Moroney said.

"Paul heard Glass Harmonium was for sale and drove down to (trainer) Sir Michael Stoute's stables to see him."

"We may give him a run in the autumn, then look at the Cox Plate or perhaps the Caulfield Cup."

Glass Harmonium, a four-year-old by Verglas, will race for owners including Rohan Aujard, Rupert Legh, John O'Neil, Rick Smith and Bruce Mathieson before going into quarantine in New Zealand.

A winner of three of his 11 starts in England, Glass Harmonium was a last-start sixth to Twice Over in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Newmarket.

His rivals for the Hong Kong Cup (2000m) on December 12 include English and Irish Oaks winner Snow Fairy, last year's winner Vision D'Etat and local star Collection.

Glass Harmonium's form from Racing Post...

DATE RACE CONDITIONS WGT RACE OUTCOME JOCKEY OR TS RPR

16Oct10 Nmk 10GS C1G1 213K 9-3 6/10 5L, Twice Over[14/1]9-3 Ryan Moore 115 * *

16Jun10 Asc 10GF C1G1 255K 9-0 6/12 4¼L, Byword[10/1]9-0 Ryan Moore 114 * *

27May10 San 10GF C1G3 36K 9-3 3/8 2L, Stotsfold[13/8F]9-0 Ryan Moore 114 * *

24Apr10 San 10Gd C1G3 36K 9-0 1/7 hd, Redwood[5/1]9-0 Ryan Moore 112 * *

16Oct09 Nmk 9Gd C1G3 36K 8-13 2/12 hd, Steele Tango[4/1]9-3 Ryan Moore 112 * *

19Sep09 Nby 9GF C3 7K 9-1 4/6 1¼L, Charlie Farnsbarns[10/11F]8-11 Ryan Moore 112 * *

18Jun09 Asc 10GF C13yL 28K 9-2 1/12 ½L, Cashelgar[8/1]9-5 Ryan Moore 108 * *

14May09 Yor 10Gd C13yG2 85K 9-0 6/10 2¼L, Black Bear Island[25/1]9-0 Ryan Moore 98 * *

16Apr09 Nmk 8GF C13yG3 36K 8-12 5/7 7L, Delegator[9/1]8-12 Ryan Moore 86 * *

17Sep08 Yar 7Gd C42yMd 4K 9-3 1/11 4L, Burma Rock[8/15F]9-3 Ryan Moore — * *

29Aug08 San 7Gd C42yMd 4K 9-3 7/16 4¾L, Anmar[8/1]9-3 Ryan Moore — * *