FLEMINGTON STABLE IN PURPLE PATCH OF FORM

The brilliant return to action by Bermadez at Flemington Saturday highlighted the purple patch of form for the Flemington stable.

The victory handed the team a 26 percent winning strike-rate from our last 50 runners and Mike Moroney suggests it will continue.

“It’s very satisfying for sure,” Mike said. “We’ve got some nice young horses coming through so I’m not getting ahead of myself but I do think we have more winners to come this month.”

And Mike would like nothing more than to add this Saturday’s Newmarket Handicap to his list of Group 1 wins with either Roch ’N’ Horse or Poland.

Roch 'N' Horse went to the line untested when seventh in the Group 1 Railway over 1200 metres at Ellerslie on New Years Day but then produced a career-best performance at her most recent start when she finished runner-up, beaten by a nose by Levante at level weights in the Group 1 Telegraph over 1200m at Trentham on January 15 in 1:06.19 and claimed by the Wellington Racing Cub as a world record time.

"It's a pretty strong Newmarket, I think the weight spread is not really in our favour," Mike said said.

"I think we're paying the price a bit for Nature Strip getting so little with 59.5kg, I was quite surprised by what he got in a handicap race, it doesn't seem quite right to me but anyhow I'm not the handicapper. And for that reason, it's a pretty tight handicap.

“Pam (Gerard) sent her over in terrific order. I think Roch 'N' Horse is a really good mare and the sprinters are good in New Zealand this year.”

The Little Avondale Stud-owned daughter of Per Incanto pleased winning her 800-metre course-proper jumpout last Friday over Lost And Running under Patrick Moloney in 47.62 seconds.

"Patrick was really happy with her and so was I," Mike said. "She's raced at Trentham around the dog-leg bend, so it's similar to a straight track.

"It will be a big field and you will need luck in running when you have 22 horses charging down the straight, but she's the right sort of mare and this is her right trip."

Stablemate Poland ran an excellent race in the Oakleigh Plate over 1100 metres at Caulfield and he will be suited by a stiff 1200 metres on Saturday.

“He’s come through that race in good order and if he gets an uninterrupted run then I’m expecting him to be finishing off strongly.”

One horse to put a spring in the Moroney step is Bankers Choice, who delighted Mike in his Australian debut last Saturday, finishing fifth in a slowly run Blamey Stakes.

“They went very slow early and he was last on the turn but his last 600 metres of 33.70 was the best in the race,” Mike said.

"He was badly weighted really, when you consider he's only got 50kg in a Doncaster, we'd like to try and make that race, it's what we bought him for, and we'd like to think we can make it.

"We might have to run him in the George Ryder or go straight into it and take a chance on attrition, but he looks a really smart horse."