Beware the wife: Noel Greenhalgh’s strong Coolmore Classic hand trumped by wife’s three-pronged attack

Melbourne Cup-winning fruit market king Noel Greenhalgh reckons he has a pretty strong hand in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic on Saturday, but is upstaged by his wife Maria, who has three runners in the race.

Melbourne Cup-winning owner Noel Greenhalgh has two runners in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic on Saturday, but reckons he is in danger of being upstaged by his wife Maria, who has three horses running in her name in the $1m feature.

Greenhalgh, who was part of Gold Trip’s 2022 Melbourne Cup triumph has the Chris Waller-trained pair of Zougotcha and Vienna Princess running in the fillies and mares classic.

However, Maria can add Waller’s Madame Pommery to that list, as part of an exclusive ladies’ syndicate who won the 2022 Group 1 Thousand Guineas.

The Brisbane fruit market king is adamant Zougotcha is the horse to beat as she looks to add a second Group 1 to her resume, but jokes he would be just as happy to see Madame Pommery arrive.

READ | ‘I had the biggest bet I've had on a horse': Mishani trainer's huge win

“I have two, but Maria has three in it,” Greenhalgh laughed.

“I usually don’t like being upstaged, but I don’t mind if I am upstaged by her on Saturday to be honest. It is all pretty exciting, I think Zougotcha will be hard to beat going off Lady Laguna’s form last week.

“She (Zougotcha) gave her a spanking in the first-up run (Group 2 Millie Fox), but giving weight in these handicap races is always difficult.

“The good gate helps her out a lot.”

Noel Greenhalgh is the Brisbane fruit market king. Picture: Ben Dorries.

Zougotcha looked to have the racing world at her feet early in her career, before a sprinting preparation put that on hold.

Greenhalgh is confident his glamour mare is now back to her best.

“She won the Princess Series and then there was an ordinary prep where we thought she was a sprinter who we could aim at our Everest slot, but that backfired.

“They were too sharp and too toey for her, she is prepared differently this time and that is the genius of Mr Waller, he knows how to get them back to what they do best, she is a high-quality mare.”

Greenhalgh believes the step up in distance for Madame Pommery will suit the daughter of No Nay Never.

“Maria has Madame Pommery, which is a ladies’ syndicate horse, they think getting up in distance is going to suit her,” he said.

“She has a shocking draw but, so it will be making it hard for them from there, I would be so happy for them all if she could do it. There are three live chances in the race for us.”

Originally published as Beware the wife: Noel Greenhalgh’s strong Coolmore Classic hand trumped by wife’s three-pronged attack