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Moroney expects his two veterans to challenge younger rivals at Flemington

Racing Victoria, Andrew Garvey

If experience and form count, Mike Moroney has an excellent chance of taking home the spoils in some of the major races at Flemington on Super Saturday.

The Flemington trainer has seven-year-old Glass Harmonium engaged in the final leg of the G1 Middle Distance Championship, the Group 1 Darley Australian Cup and is expecting a big run.

I think he goes in there as a serious chance, Moroney said.

He races very well at Flemington, with his only real failure being in the Melbourne Cup.

From four starts over the Flemington 2000 metres, all in group 1 company, Glass Harmonium has recorded a win and two seconds, with his other start being in last year's Australian Cup when he pulled up with breathing issues.

In those three placed performances, Glass Harmonium lead every time and Moroney believes the import will do the same again tomorrow.

I would be surprised if we don't lead because I think he'll be too quick for Fiveandahalfstar but in saying that he has to jump away, Moroney said, in reference to Glass Harmonium's less than perfect record from the barriers.

Moroney was expecting a forward run from Glass Harmonium first up in the Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes at Caulfield and the grey did not let him down, hitting the line strongly to defeat all but star three-year-old All Too Hard.

We were really happy with his first up run and he is obviously in a pretty good space at the moment because that was his best run at that sort of trip.

Glass Harmonium has been ridden in much of his fast work by Steven Arnold who partners him tomorrow and Moroney said the jockey had been very positive about the improvement the horse had taken out of his first up run.

Of some concern to those scanning the form guides is Glass Harmonium's second up record of one win from eight second up starts but Maroney is prepared to overlook that statistic.

''He doesn't have a flash second up record but I think a lot of the time it has been the fact that he has been at shorter trips, so I'm confident that he can do better there over 2000 metres.

Glass Harmonium is a $11 chance in the TAB Darley Australian Cup market with Green Moon just favourite at $4 ahead of Super Cool at $4.20.

Moroney's other veteran at Flemington tomorrow is eight-year-old Wall Street, which contests the Group 2 Blamey Stakes.

Wall Street which will also be ridden by Steven Arnold, has not won a race since taking out the Group 1 Emirates Stakes at Flemington in November 2010, over the same trip as the Blamey.

However his two runs this campaign have been first class, finishing right behind the placegetters in the Orr Stakes and last start carrying 60 kilograms from the outside gate in the Kilmore Cup, when he beat all but the in-form Dany The Fox.

An indication of how well weighted he is going into tomorrow's race, is the nine kilogram weight turnaround he has on Dany The Fox.

It looks an ideal race for him and he's going terrific, said Moroney of Wall Street.

If he wasn't going that well you'd say he's old and whatever but I think he is going as well as he's gone since I've had him.

While the Blamey boasts plenty of depth, including early Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance de Lune, Moroney sees it as Wall Street's opportunity to get another win.

''He's been running in handicaps and getting plenty of weight or at weight-for-age.

This looks his chance to get another win in the board.

TAB price assessors share Moroney's confidence and Wall Street is the $4 favourite in early market for the Blamey Stakes.


[08 Mar 13]

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