Golden target
The inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle in Sydney is on the programme of Buffalo River (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}), who remains unbeaten from three Australian starts.
After convincing wins at Ballarat and Sandown in his first two Australian starts since joining Moroney's stable, he claimed the Silver Bowl Series Final for 3-year-olds at Flemington.
"As long as he comes through it all right we'll try to keep going," Moroney said. "We'd like to be able to get him to the spring if we could."
Moroney pinpointed the $7.5 million Golden on November 2 at Rosehill as a potential spring target, but said he'd see whether the Northern Hemisphere-bred Buffalo River would get an allowance under set weights conditions.
"We're pretty keen on the Golden Eagle," he said.
Sprinter does it in style
Malibu Style (Magnus) capped off a strong run of form with victory in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final.
“I was quite confident he could win, he’s been going super,” trainer and part-owner Neville Parnham said. “This was going to be his final run, but he’s in really good order so we might have another race or two.”
Malibu Style sprang his gate early and as a result didn’t begin cleanly before picking up ground to sit behind the leaders and finished off determinedly.
Memorable victory
Charlotte Littlefield enjoyed a career high at Flemington where Miss Mandito (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) provided her with her first city winner in the Leilani Series Final.
"I'm shaking I'm so happy," said Littlefield, who has been training for three years. She was absolutely super.
"This is what dreams are made of. I don't think you can put into words what it means to me. It's a whole team effort.
"We were just desperate to get that city win. It became the elusive city win, but now it's finally there and to be at Flemington, that couldn't be any better."
Success for Cable Bay
Woodside Park Stud shuttle stallion Cable Bay (Ire) enjoyed black type success in England where his daughter Liberty Beach won the Listed Dragon S.
She broke well to settle fourth and quickened impressively when asked in the run home to score in style.
“She is a very good filly, it was a smart performance and from the moment she came into the yard she has been professional,” trainer John Quinn said. “She is in the G2 Robert Papin, which (stablemate) Signora Cabello won last year and she is comparable to her.
“She is also in the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood and we have nice options with a nice filly.”
Kodiac gelding tops sale
Twenty geldings sourced from Europe, Australia and New Zealand went through the ring at Sha Tin on Friday for the July edition of the Hong Kong International Sale.
They brought an aggregate of HK$48.8 million (AUD$8.95 million), an average of HK$2.44million (AUD$448,000) and a median of HK$2.3 million (AUD$442,000).
Topping trade was a 3-year-old son of Kodiac (GB) sourced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the 2017 Baden-Baden September Yearling Sale for 200,000 euros.
He is a half-brother to the G2 Mac Diarmida H. winner Ramazutti (USA) (Honor Grades {USA}), and was bought by Johnson Chen for HK$4.8 million (AUD$882,000).
Stakes chance
Gold Ambition (NZ) (Savabeel) has earned himself a shot at black type after winning at Doomben.
After he was successful in the Rawgroup Hospitality H., trainer Michael Costa said the 6-year-old had a mind of his own.
"He was on his game here and you could see how well he can finish. We have tried him over a middle distance, but really his best distance is around 1600 metres," Costa said.
"The Listed Tattersall's Mile in a fortnight might be the right sort of race for him. He will probably run in it. The key to him is keeping him fresh and for 1600 metre races we can do that."
Proisir’s daughter impresses
Proisir produced his fourth individual winner of the season when his daughter London Bound (NZ) bolted up by seven lengths on debut at Awapuni.
The Clayton Chipperfield-trained filly ambled to the front 350 metres to put a wide space on stakes winner Flaunting (Showcasing {GB}) in the Win The Group 2 Waikato Guineas 2YO.
“She was first-up, but she was very professional,” rider Craig Grylls said. “She was a fraction slow and picked herself up and travelled well. She took over like no-one else was there and did it very easily, there’s a lot of scope about her.”
Proisir, who stands at Rich Hill Stud, is now level with Windsor Park Stud’s freshman sire Charm Spirit (Ire) with four first crop winners.
London Bound winning at Awapuni
Premature end
The last race at Doomben has been abandoned after jockeys voiced concern about visibility in overcast conditions.
The riders agreed to take part in the second last race with only six runners going to the post.
However, stewards called the jockeys in before the last and they said there were concerns because of the 14 runners in the field.
Chief steward Peter Chadwick said stewards agreed with the riders and had decided to abandon the final race due to issues with visibility and ongoing rain.
