Terrific Three-Year-Olds!

It has been a good couple of days for the stable with the promising three-year-olds War Legend (pictured) and Tulsa recording smart victories.

Having his first run since February, the lightly raced War Legend was dominant as favourite at Warrnambool on Sunday.

Settling third in a small field, the son of Rip Van Winkle looked to be under pressure before the turn but in the style of a horse going places he found a second wind, racing clear in the run home to salute by an impressive 1 1/2 lengths.

"It was a bit of a funny run," Michael Moroney said - "he did look to be gone but he picked up again late for a good win."

"He is still pretty raw but he has good ability and there is a lot of improvement in him."

Catching Paul Moroney's eye at last year's Karaka sale, War Legend is a half-brother to five winners out of a full sister to the Gr.3 galloper Tully Dane from the family of the Gr.1 gallopers Daffodil and Good Faith.

Fast forward a day and we were cheering on another nice youngster, Tulsa too strong as favourite at the Pakenham meeting.

Stalking the leaders and wearing them down in the run home, Tulsa had two lengths on his rivals at the end, doing a great job at only his second start and his first since March.

"He is a really nice horse," Moroney enthused - "one of our better three-year-olds."

"Like War Legend he is a progressive horse, he still has a good bit to learn but he has real talent."

"We will look at the Henry Bucks Stakes for both horses and see how far we can go into the spring with them."

Another purchase for Paul Moroney, Tulsa is a son of Sebring and the unraced Peintre Celebre mare Morning Dews, a half-sister to the Listed winner Allez France from the family of big race winners Burst and Victory Prince.

We have further three-year-old action at Sandown on Wednesday with Strike Force lining up for his second start in the sixth event over 1200m.

Game in defeat when racing a touch keenly on pace at his Sandown debut a few weeks ago, the son of Lookin At Lucky has pleased us with his progress since.

"He is probably the best of our three-year-old males," Moroney said, "and we expect him to go close."

"He is stepping up from maiden class and taking on horses who have won races but is a very good horse who should prove hard to beat."

In the following race, a 1400m handicap, we have the imported galloper Araldo Junior making his debut for us.

As his name suggests, he is a half-brother to our sadly ill-fated galloper Araldo and we purchased him when that horse was showing us so much.

A three times winner from just five starts in Europe, the son of Medicean has raced over longer trips but on his work we are looking for a bold showing.

"You would expect him to be at his best over longer but on the way he is working and trialling he can run a good race. He is a lovely horse who has strengthened up since he has been here."

Drawn nicely in barrier four, Araldo Junior will be ridden by champion jockey Glen Boss who won the Bart Cummings Stakes on Araldo.

The third of our Sandown runners is Black Tomahawk who lines up in the eighth race, a 2100m handicap.

A game third at Flemington last time out, the Seul Amour gelding has been performing consistently of late and he can again figure in the thick of things.

"He enjoys a big drop in class," Moroney said, adding that "a bit of rain would help him."

We also have handy mare Zazparella racing in Sydney - topweight in the third event, the More Than Ready Handicap at Warwick Farm.

"We sent her up there looking for rain and it looks like she has found it," Moroney said, confident of the six-year-old's chances as she drops considerably in class.

Another nice three-year-old lines up at Ballarat on Thursday, resuming in the 1400m maiden plate with Steven Arnold to ride.

"We have a lot of lovely three year-olds and he is one of them. A tricky outside barrier is the query but we have always thought him to be reasonably smart."