Member Login

MORONEY LOOKING TO SUMMIT EVEREST

Last start Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) heroine Tofane has made a real impression on the trans-Tasman trainer who is eyeing a possible tilt at The Everest (1200m), the world’s richest turf race, at Randwick in the spring.

“We are just waiting for them to confirm prizemoney for The Everest,” Moroney said. “We might attack that, which does change a lot what you do in the spring.

“On the fresh side she would be competitive in an Everest and from then on she probably wants to go up to a mile.

“We were even contemplating that if there wasn’t an Everest then we could give her a preparation in the lead-up to the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m).

“She is one of those mares that you can put anywhere and she has got the ability to be competitive at most distances I would think, now that she is starting to relax.”

The daughter of Ocean Park has won five of her 14 career starts, including the Gr.3 Northwood Plume Stakes (1200m), Gr.3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1100m), and the All-Aged Stakes, and Moroney has a high opinion of the New Zealand-bred mare.

“One of the best horses we have got is definitely Tofane,” Moroney said. “For her to do what she did (in the All Aged Stakes) puts her in the top draw. She could end up as good a mare as I have trained I think.

“She has been racing for just over 12 months and to win a Group One against all-comers at weight-for-age is very hard to do.”

While Moroney is looking forward to the spring with Tofane, he is also excited about the prospects of Harlech when he heads across the Tasman.

The consistent three-year-old has been earmarked to join Moroney’s Melbourne barn for some time, but initial autumn plans were delayed as a result of bone chip surgery.

Runner-up in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) and Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Harlech will begin his preparation under the guidance of Moroney’s New Zealand co-trainer Pam Gerard at their Matamata property.

“He will start off and do a bit of pre-training in New Zealand and he will then come across. He’s about a fortnight away from starting,” Moroney said.

“We were going to bring him across for the autumn, but he had a little bone chip, so we decided not to take him over to Australia and risk that. So we decided to get that sorted and head for the spring with him.

“He has been really good. The operation is only a small one. He just required time to make sure everything settled down.”

Moroney believes a mile is Harlech’s pet distance and his first major target in the spring will be the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield.

“I would think a race like the Toorak Handicap, that would be the sort of race we will be looking at,” he said.

“He looks as though a mile was about his right trip. He is probably going to get 2000m as well, but we will just start off aiming towards races like that.”

Back in New Zealand, Moroney is fairly excited about the prospects of a number of the stable’s rising three-year-olds, particularly Tokorangi.

The daughter of Redwood finished runner-up on debut over 1200m before winning at Matamata over 1100m in January.

“She will stay back in New Zealand at this stage, she looks a nice filly,” Moroney said.

“At some stage she may come to Aussie, but we will probably leave her back for the early spring anyway and head her down towards the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m).”

Meanwhile, Moroney said the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t had too much of an impact on his Melbourne barn.

“We have been lucky to be able to race (in Australia),” he said.

“We took two or three to Sydney for the autumn and one across to Adelaide, which just got beaten in a Group race on Saturday.

“It hasn’t really put us off except for Queensland.

“Just with a lack of decent programming in Queensland, this will be the first time we haven’t been there in a long time.

“There just wasn’t enough to warrant us to go up there. So we are just going to go full-bore into the spring rather than doing that.”

While his Melbourne operation has been ticking away, Moroney said he is hanging out for the borders to re-open between Australia and New Zealand so he can visit his family.

“I am due back there (Matamata) when I can,” he said. “I have got grandchildren over there as well that I would like to see. That has made it a bit tougher.

“I am sure it won’t be too far away for the borders between the two countries to open up. I would be surprised if it is not within the next six weeks.” – NZ Racing Desk
 
[19 May 20]

CERTAIN ON THE RISE (Australia)

CERTAIN ON THE RISE
[10 Oct 24] Certain Rise has the chance to go one better than her promising debut when she races at Mornington today.  more...

CERTAIN RISE IMPRESSES (Australia)

CERTAIN RISE IMPRESSES
[10 Oct 24] They say the cream always rises to the top and Certain Rise showed her class with a dominant performance at Mornington today.  more...

WE'RE OFF TO ROYAL SALE (Australia)

WE'RE OFF TO ROYAL SALE
[09 Oct 24] Royal Infantry runs for us in the fourth race at Sale today.  more...
CROSS AT SALE (Aus) [19 May 24]
HAIL CEASAR (Aus) [17 Jan 24]
FANCY LIKE, OH (NZ) [15 Oct 23]
BUFFY'S BACK! (Aus) [23 Sep 23]
FALCON SOARS (Aus) [08 Jun 23]
READY TO ROCH (Aus) [25 Feb 23]
HAIL CEASAR! (Aus) [24 Dec 22]
SUNDAY DUTY (Aus) [18 Dec 22]
SASSY ALRIGHT (NZ) [23 Oct 21]
AKTAU RETURNS (Aus) [31 Jul 21]
CORKS A POPPIN (NZ) [26 Jun 21]
COBRA STRIKES (Aus) [25 Oct 20]
SNIPER AT MOE (Aus) [16 Oct 20]
STAFF WANTED (NZ) [29 Oct 18]
RUBY A GEM (NZ) [25 Apr 18]
AVEC MOI WINS (NZ) [07 Mar 18]
BORN TO WIN (Aus) [28 Aug 17]
Girl Power! (NZ) [15 Sep 16]
100 Looms! (Aus) [21 Jul 16]
She's A Rose (Aus) [09 Jul 16]
Ararat Trio (Aus) [17 May 16]
Two Guineas! (Aus) [04 Mar 16]
Tulsa Resumes (Aus) [05 Feb 16]
Extra Smart! (Aus) [02 Sep 15]
Sandown Trio. (Aus) [01 Sep 15]
Rose Blooms! (Aus) [31 Aug 15]
Saturday Trio (Aus) [17 Jul 15]
Quiet Weekend (Aus) [25 Jun 15]
Sandown Trio (Aus) [03 Mar 15]
Garud At Best (Aus) [29 Dec 14]
Christmas Joy (Aus) [28 Dec 14]
Thursday Trio (Aus) [25 Nov 14]
RIP Araldo (Aus) [05 Nov 14]
Miz Flies! (Aus) [04 Aug 14]
Tasmanian Duo (Aus) [25 Feb 14]
Midweek Duo (Aus) [21 Jan 14]
Weekend Trio (Aus) [06 Dec 13]
Sale duo (Aus) [25 Sep 13]
On A Roll! (NZ) [17 Aug 13]
Te Rapa Duo (NZ) [15 Aug 13]
Confidence! (Aus) [26 Jul 13]
Lady Fires (Aus) [29 Mar 13]
Ararat Double (Aus) [12 Feb 13]
A Major win (Aus) [10 Nov 12]
Sale Saturday (Aus) [06 Sep 12]
A Magic start (Aus) [09 Apr 12]
Flashy flies! (Aus) [24 Mar 12]
Two for two! (Aus) [04 Nov 11]
What a week! (Aus) [03 Oct 11]
Born To Win! (Aus) [01 Oct 11]
Dashing Duke (Aus) [06 Jul 11]
She Rocks! (Aus) [18 Jun 11]
Busy weekend! (Aus) [03 Jun 11]
The Team (Aus) [09 Apr 11]
A Sale double (Aus) [28 Feb 11]
He's a Moral! (Aus) [18 Nov 10]
Oaks Day 2010 (Aus) [02 Nov 10]
A big weekend (Aus) [08 Jan 10]
Take That! (Aus) [02 Dec 09]