Busy Easter Saturday

Ballymore heads to Caulfield on Easter Saturday with a team of five talented gallopers, each of whom we are hoping can prove competitive enroute to bigger assignments.

Kicking off our busy day is Muirfield who is having his first run since a solid performance in the Bagot Handicap on New Year's Day.

Beginning his campaign in the Jack Elliott Handicap, Muirfield looks suited first up over 1700m - having run nicely fresh last preparation over a much shorter trip.

To be ridden by Michael Walker, Muirfield looks well placed with three already coming out of the ten horse field.

Also first up is the lightly raced and promising Murcielaga who lines up in the fourth event, the Noel Rundle Handicap oer 1400m.

Drawn nicely in barrier five for Michael Walker, the son of Testa Rossa looked good saluting at his Warrnambool debut last May and the stable had high spring hopes for him.

"We thought he was our best three-year-old in the spring," Michael Moroney said, rueing the fact that injury cost the colt a crack at the carnival riches.

"We only got the one run into him," he said, adding that he is hopeful that Murcielaga cane measure up to a Queensland campaign.

"We'll just take it one run at a time with him but all going well we'd like to head towards Brisbane for races like the Queensland Guineas and the Derby."

An interstate trip also beckons for the talented speedster African Pulse who resumes in the Bert Bryant Handicap over 1000m.

Ideally drawn in barrier one for Tom Sadler, African Pulse flies fresh and we have been pleased with his progress on the comeback from injury.

Nearly severing a tendon in an accident at the stables last spring, African Pulse spent quite a bit of time at the Werribee Veterinary Hospital - and they did a great job with him.

"He was actually pretty luckky," Moroney said - "the tendon held togethera nd he has had a long break to get over it."

"He is still a stallion so he’s a little bit thicker set this preparation but his work and jumpouts have been encouraging."

Whilst confident that African Pulse is a versatile sort who could sit off them if need be, Moroney is pretty happy with the inside draw - "I doubt there’s anything in Australia that could head him off early if he wanted to go forward," he said.

The Group One Goodwood Handicap at Morphettville on May 11 is African Pulse's immediate aim and Moroney is looking forward to getting him there - "we're pretty keen on that race for him."

The feature event at Caulfield on Saturday is the Group 3 Easter Cup and we saddle up two runners in the 2000m contest - Zabisco and Wall Street.

The pair finished close together in the Golden Mile at Bendigo a couple of weeks ago and both look ready for a step up in distance.

"We were a bit disappointed with Wall Street's fourth," Moroney conceded, "but Steven Arnold said he wants to get to 2000m so that's what we are doing."

"He is a Group One winner over the trip (the prestigious Kelt Capital Stakes in 2010) so it will be interesting to see how he goes."

Zabisco (pictured), a gallant second at Bendigo, is having his first run beyond a mile and Moroney was pleased with his latest performance.

"He was terrific in the Golden Mile," he said, hoping that the genes of Zabisco's sire Zabeel will kick in over the longer trip.