Voleuse de Coeurs kicks off in Australian Cup

After a hectic week inspecting and buying some lovely yearlings at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, the Ballymore crew have more busy times ahead with runners at five different meetings over the long weekend.

We kick off at the Friday night meeting at Cranbourne where Oneman Wolfpack is topweight in the Casey Cup.

The consistent six-year-old looks nicely primed for a step up to 1600m at his third run this time in and Michael Moroney is confident.

“He has been terrific off a lengthy spell,” he said, “and he will strip a lot fitter this time. We expect him to go close to winning.”

At Saturday’s feature Flemington meeting we saddle up three nice horses beginning with two-year-old Say My Name who steps up in distance in the Gr.2 Sires’ Produce Stakes.

“He keeps getting back and running on well,” Moroney noted, “so we are going to give a chance to show what he can do over a bit more ground.”

“He is up in class but he does look the sort of horse to run the trip right out.”

Imported mare Voleuse de Coeurs (pictured) – who has had just the one run for us, her respectable Melbourne Cup 10th – resumes in the day’s major event, the $1 million Gr.1 Australian Cup.

Whilst the 2000m is short of her best distances, Voleuse de Coeurs has thrived during her time away from the track.

“We are really happy with her,” Moroney enthused.

“She has done a bit of work but we have not overtaxed her and she looks great,” he said, noting that the daughter of Teofilo has put on around 25kg since the spring.

“She looks a long way better than she did last time in,” he said.

Rhythm To Spare, who takes his place in the Listed Super Saturday Stakes, is having his first run since the Spring and Moroney is confident of a bold showing.

“It is a tough race,” he admitted, “but he boasts excellent fresh form and we think he is a pretty smart horse.”

Twice a winner and once runner-up from three first up runs, Rhythm To Spare is, says Moroney “a stronger horse this time in.”

We also have a runner in Sydney on Saturday – The Hotz stepping up to a suitable 2400m in the TAB.com.au Handicap.

“We probably rode him wrong last time,” Moroney said of the gelding who had been in winning form in New Zealand in early February before finishing out of the placings at Randwick a couple of weeks ago.

“We thought there would be a bit of speed in the race and he went back – but it turned out there wasn’t. But still he was not far off them( 3¼ lengths) and he could have finished closer up if he’d been ridden a bit differently.”

Also looking for a change of luck is Lordoftheparrots who contests Sunday’s Stony Creek Cup.

Running into all sorts of trouble when a game second in the Colac Cup two weeks ago, the tough seven-year-old didn’t have things go his way at Moonee Valley before that either.

“He probably should have won his last two,” Moroney said, confident that the gelding can atone.

Jemerica is our sole Monday holiday runner – the lightly raced filly ready for a 1000m dash.

“Glen Boss said she was just a bit fresh first up,” Moroney said of the Captain Rio’s last start Bendigo second after leading.

“She has done a bit of work since then and she should prove hard to beat – especially if there happened to be any rain about.”

Ballymore made several nice purchases with Paul Moroney – one of Australasia’s finest yearling judges – during the week. If you are interested in being involved with a Melbourne Cup winning stable contact Anthony Feroce at anthony@ballymorestables.com.au