Spring at Headquarters

Gearing up for a big Spring, the stable is represented by four lovely horses at Flemington on Sunday... Muirfield, Marheta, Brazilian Pulse and Monaco Consul.

Horses who we hope will prove major players over the course of the carnival, they are all in great shape and nicely primed to put their best hooves forward this weekend.

Headlining our quartet is stable star Monaco Consul who takes his place in the feature event, the $500,000 Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes.

Shaping very well this preparation, the high class four-year-old has been close up at both runs and is ready to run a bold race over the 2000m.

"We can't fault him," Michael Moroney enthused. "He is at the stage now where we expect him to stand up. He will need luck from the draw (barrier 1) but we are very happy with him and we will be surprised if he is not right in it."

Form students will have noted Monaco Consul's excellent third up form - a Spring Champion Stakes victory and an AJC Derby third.

Earlier in the day one of our Victoria Derby prospects (another being Missing In Action who contests Saturday's Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick) in Muirfield makes his metropolitan debut in the Listed UCI Stakes.

An impressive last start Echuca maiden winner, Muirfield has always been well regarded by the stable.

"He is an exciting young horse," said Moroney who is confident that the son of Don Eduardo can measure up in good company - although aware that he still has some learning to do.

"He can be slowly away," he said, noting that the good looking bay settled a long way back at Echuca, "but the blinkers go on and he does have a fair bit of ability."

Pleasing us with her encouraging first up performance, smart mare Marheta lines up in the Gr.2 Blazer Stakes.

"She has a horror draw (19)," Moroney said, "but her first up run was good. She strips fitter and the 1400m on a bigger track will suit her."

To be ridden by Corey Brown, the Queensland Oaks runner up bolted in with her maiden second up last time in.

Also drawn awkwardly is the up-and-coming filly Brazilian Pulse who jumps from gate 16 in the Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes.

Looking good beating the boys at midweek level at Sandown last start, the daughter of Captain Rio must take another step up but we have been thrilled with her progress.

"She has improved out of sight on the track," Moroney said. "She used to be quite a casual worker but she has been really putting in since that win."

"She has done everything right to date," he added, "and this is a good race to judge where she is at in relation to the good fillies."