Hoping for a bit of Magic

BRISBANE, July 1 AAP - Trainer Mike Moroney is relying on an encouraging weather forecast to produce an ideal surface for tough stayer Maythehorsebemagic in the Group Three Queen's Cup at Eagle Farm.

Saturday's Queen's Cup over 3200 metres is one of the few races left on the Australian calendar at the distance of the Melbourne Cup.

Moroney's star performer in Queensland this winter has been Shenzhou Steeds who backed up his Ipswich Cup win with victory in Saturday's Caloundra Cup and the trainer is hoping Maythehorsebemagic can keep the momentum going.

"Dead to slow tracks are best for him but any wetter than that and I'd be concerned," Moroney said.

"Fortunately the sun is out and there's a strong wind. The forecast looks promising which should help the track at Eagle Farm to dry out."

Moroney targeted the Queen's Cup as a realistic winter carnival goal for Maythehorsebemagic after he finished second to Dame Claire in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes (3200m) at Flemington in May.

At his first start in Brisbane following the Ramsden, the son of Zabeel finished seventh to Ginga Dude in the Tattersall's Cup (2200m) on June 23 after Moroney was forced to tweak his carnival campaign.

"When I brought him up here my plan was to run in the Brisbane Cup then go onto the Queen's Cup without a run in between," he said.

"But he was an emergency for the Brisbane Cup and missed out on a start so I had to run him in the Tatt's Cup as a back-up plan.

"He drew a bad gate in that race and had to go right back to near last. The way the track was playing on the day made it tough for him to make up ground.

"But I was happy with the way he finished off the race from a future viewpoint going to the 3200 metres next time out."

Moroney has abandoned spring carnival plans for talented mare Bonnie Mac, who will undergo a throat operation after her failure in the Tatt's Tiara.

By Mathew Toogood, AAP - Sydney jockey Jay Ford needed no persuading to return to Brisbane to ride Maythehorsebemagic in Saturday's Group Three Queen's Cup.

Ford partnered the Mike Moroney-trained gelding to a last-start midfield finish in the Tatt's Cup (2200m) and was impressed enough to commit to another interstate trip for the 3200m Eagle Farm feature.

"I picked up the ride on him last start when I was up there for the Tatt's Tiara and I thought he went pretty well," Ford said.

"Michael said to me if I wanted to come back and ride him again in the Queen's Cup I could and I was happy to because I thought he went pretty well coming back from 3200 metres.

"He was only beaten three lengths and was finishing off strongly.

"I thought in a race like the Queen's Cup he's going to be a pretty strong chance."

Ford and Moroney are no strangers to feature race success together.

Ford won the Group One Spring Champion Stakes on Monaco Consul for Moroney in 2009.

"I used to ride Mr Baritone quite a bit as well when he came to Sydney and I've always had a couple of rides here and there for Michael," Ford said.

"We've struck up a good relationship and having won the Group One in Sydney a few years ago for him, it's always nice to get back on one of his horses."

Maythehorsebemagic is one of five acceptors with experience over the gruelling two-mile journey.

The seven-year-old son of Zabeel was second in the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes over the Melbourne Cup course at Flemington in May, a performance which gave Ford plenty of confidence.

"He should be right in it because his run the other day was good and he's proven over the 3200 metres," Ford said.

"He ran a good second in the Andrew Ramsden and I think that stands him in pretty good stead for Saturday."

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