Keeping It In The Family

It was a matter of keeping it in the family at Bendigo on Thursday with a smart debut victory by the promising two-year-old Lord Barrington.

Catching Paul Moroney’s eye at Karaka last year, the son of Darci Brahma was described by him as “a cracking type.”

And Paul knows the family well – as does Michael with Lord Barrington being out of a full sister to Ballymore’s Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Mr Baritone (who also won his first start).

Paul also purchased the dam of Lord Barrington – the winning Stravinsky mare Della Lobra but sadly due to an early injury she could never fulfil the promise she displayed.

However she is passing on her talent with Lord Barrington her first to race – and the style of his on-pace one length debut victory suggests he is a horse to follow.

“We have four two-year-olds who we have a lot of time for, who we think are up to spring carnival class,” Michael Moroney said, “and he is one of them.”

Jockey Steven Arnold, who has ridden Lord Barrington in a jump-out, noted that he was impressed by the improvement the horse showed on race day.

“He did a bit wrong in his trial, he lost his action a bit – but today he put it altogether well; he is a nice horse who is still maturing.”

Matt Hoysted agreed, describing Lord Barrington as “a lovely horse with a lot of upside.”

Hopefully our winning run can continue on the weekend and we are looking forward to seeing last start Golden Bracelet placegetter Asadauskaite take her place in the Gr.3 Doomben Roses… a race we won four years ago with Marheta.

Catching the eye with a strong late finish over 1800m last time out, the Pentire filly is nicely placed up to 2000m and whilst she has drawn out, Moroney is unconcerned.

“She is not a horse who can make the most of a good barrier anyway so it doesn’t really worry me.”

“I just hope they get a bit of rain in Brisbane and that would help her.”

We have only one other runner this weekend – If It Don’t Fit lining up in a 2050m event at Wodonga on Sunday.

“He was disappointing last start,” Moroney admitted – pointing to the son of Iffraaj’s tenth of ten at Echuca.

He was however second up and Moroney is hoping that the addition of the blinkers “can do the trick.”