Just a few of so so many....  

Thanks for the memories Mike......  

Back home in Blighty to the news of the biggest defeat against Afghanistan since the days of Kipling (on the cricket field). Fortunately, horse racing continues on smoothly up here with the Cheltenham Festival barely a fortnight away and the current ground conditions at Prestbury Park Soft with some Heavy areas on the Cross Country track. With a dry week forecast, the concensus is the meeting will start on near perfect jumping ground. Much more of that as we approach the big meeting. Saturday's domestic action is pretty low key but there's a strong card at Meydan with nine races including a Group 1 for the Arabians and three Group 2 races for the thoroughbreds. Nine have been declared for the Singspiel on the turf over 1800m. NATIONS PRIDE is clear top rated and represents the Godolphin/Charlie Appleby/William Buick team but he has to come back from two disappointing runs in Bahrain and in the Pegasus at Gulfstream Park. On his 2023 third to LORD NORTH in the Dubai Turf he'd walk over these but I need to be convinced. HOLLOWAY BOY got to within five lengths of ROMANTIC WARRIOR in the Jebel Hatta last time and there's nothing of the latter's calibre in this field. That was a fine effort and a reproduction of that wins this. The apparent Godolphin second string FIRST CONQUEST beat CAIRO in a Group 3 last time but with solid Group 1 form against arguably the best turf horse in the world currently, HOLLOWAY BOY is a confident selection. The Group 2 Al Maktoum Classic over 2000m is on the dirt. A maximum field of 16 has been declared but two dominate on the ratings. KABIRKHAN once raced in Kazakhstan and Russia and since heading west has mixed it at the highest level with an eighth in last year's World Cup and a fair debut behind WALK OF STARS in the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge but he needs to improve on that to be a factor and that leaves IMPERIAL EMPEROR as another clear choice. He was a fair turf galloper for Godolphin in the UK but has improved since switching to Dirt and his second to WALK OF STARS last time is basically Group 1 form and down in grade looks very strong. Whether he's a World Cup contender time will tell but a good win here will certainly put him in the mix. The Group 2 City of Gold over 2410m has just seven entries and five are trained in the UK. Charlie Appleby has the usual strong hand led by SILVER KNOTT but this one ran third to FAR BRIDGE in both the Sword Dancer and the Joe Hirsch last autumn and the latter was well held in the Breeders Cup Turf so the value of the form may not be all that. I'm much more interested in the apparent second string ARABIAN CROWN who won four of his five races in the UK including his sole 3-y-o start when he won the Sandown Classic Trial so he's been off ten months. Some years, the Sandown race is a big pointer for the Derby but to be honest last year's renewal didn't work out. Even so, to keep this one in training and bring him to this race suggests to me the stable think he still has a lot to offer. The American challenger HIGHWAY ROBBER has some decent form but I'd be surprised if he was good enough. My pick is ARABIAN CROWN in the hope the potential is still there. On a weak domestic Saturday, the Grade 2 Premier Novices Hurdle over 3600m at Kelso is the feature. ROADLESSTRAVELLED flopped at Aintree on Boxing Day when well fancied for the Formby but has had a nice break and returns on decent ground. DEDICATED HERO looks the best of the locals having won the Rossington Main last time but there are some unexposed southern raiders in the line up including VANDERPOEL, CASTLE CARROCK and LAGANHILL who have all enjoyed wide margin wins at a lower level and I suspect are more likely to be seen to better effect over fences next season. Willie Mullins rampaged through the Dublin Racing Festival and brings over CHART TOPPER who won a small race at Wetherby in late January. That form, on its own, is nothing special and he's 7/2 favourite because of who trains him. This isn't a race to play, I think, but one to watch for the future. Speaking of the future, it's the time of the year when we start seeing some nice 3-y-o on the artificial surfaces and Godolphin unleashed OPERA BALLO to win a decent maiden by four lengths at Kempton last evening. He had won by eight and a half lengths on debut over the same 1609m course and distance and connections were openly talking of either the 2000 Guineas or the Kentucky Derby. OPERA BALLO is by Ghaiyyath out of Dubai Opera (her second foal). The sire is his second season - nothing too dramatic in his first season with his best offspring probably STANHOPE GARDENS who was second in a Group 3 at Newmarket last October. OPERA BALLO is in the "could be anything" file at present.  

Sorry I never got this posted earlier as I have been travelling to Perth all day,  Today is a sad day not only for Paul and all his immediate family,also for the New Zealand industry. A fantastic guy ,fantastic teacher and a fantastic trainer but most of all he was a truly decent human being. Paul and Mike made a fantastic team Paul found the good ones for Mike and Mike trained them to so many wins, together they were nearly unstoppable, with so many good horses together. Just remember Paul Mike will always be with you somehow someway in whatever you are doing, he has passed away way too soon but he will not be forgotten.He is one of the very best New Zealand has produced. Fly high Mike forever rest peacefully, you did us Kiwis proud. Deepest condolences to Paul and all the rest of the Moroney family...RIP Mike, you were one of the best.

A terribly sad loss to the community however we have many fond memories of his stories, horses he trained including Tumblin Down, Brew and Second Coming. An incredible man to have survived an earlier encounter with death when traveling to The South Australian Oaks with Bon Cher and Our Heavenly Body when the horse truck encountered Power lines.   We also recall his wonderful contribution 20 years ago to those effected by The Boxing Day Tsunami with the Prize money his horse won at Ellerslie. It's little things like this we as an industry should be embracing and proud of. Long may his positive nature continue in our world.   RIP Mike and may we all think of him when we hear the Smashing Pumpkins who he trained a horse with the same name. God Bless

I thought Sam came across well on the tv news tonight. She is a good promoter of SI racing.

1. Wingatui R7            7-11          Best Bet 2. Wingatui R8            7-9             3. Matamata R7          1-2 4. Randwick R4           7-8 5. Flemington R5        6-7 6. Wingatui R9            3-5 7. Randwick R5          7-11 8. Flemington R6       5-7 9. Wingatui R10         5-9             Best Bet 10. Flemington R7     6-10            11. Randwick R7        3-6 12. Flemington R8     3-10 Thanks, say no more.

A very sad day for this family and the industry. Gone way too soon.  

Thanks Bruce for coming on and posting. It’s very much appreciated.  Liz

Pakenham Race 8 tonight # 8 Astral Flame I see someone has had a horse named after them - Race 2 Matamata Saturday - #14 - Love Leigh

So easy for some to say retire them, then next minute the break down in the paddock, no golden answer, we'd all like to see them retire happily ever after, but we know in his game, nothing's a given, certainly been plenty of sires over the years succumbing to paddock accidents, but many more we don't hear about.

Sad to hear one of our very best …. May he forever rest in peace thoughts and prayers to Paul and the rest of his friends and family…. A big loss to the industry.

R.I.P.  Mike,Condolences to all the Family and friends, and ThankYou .

Handicappings and ratings have long been an enigma to all but the very well informed but personally I my horse won a fair share of $3.5 million, it's standing in the handicaps or rating would be the last thing I'd care about.

Extremely bad news. Condolences to Paul and the Moroney family.

Really sad news….condolences to the family. RIP Mike. https://www.racenet.com.au/news/melbourne-cupwinning-trainer-michael-moroney-dies-20250227

Sad news posted by Paul this morning that Mike passed away in his sleep. condolences to all

2024 Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) winner Locked, trained by Todd Pletcher, comes into California race after running second to White Abarrio in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) in Florida.View the full article

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