Trainer Michael Moroney eyes Thousand Guineas success with Coeur Volante, to be ridden by Blake Shinn
Trainer Michael Moroney is eyes Thousand Guineas success with Coeur Volante, to be ridden by Blake Shinn.
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Flemington trainer Michael Moroney was delighted to avoid a forced jockey switch for Coeur Volante ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield.
Blake Shinn has piloted the impressive three-year-old filly to strong wins at The Valley and Caulfield her past two starts to emerge as a Group 1 candidate.
Shinn received an initial eight-meeting suspension last Thursday (whip breach), and picked up another 21 meetings (14 and seven) for separate indiscretions last Saturday at Flemington.
Thankfully for Moroney and connections of Coeur Volante, the $4.50 second favourite with TAB for the Thousand Guineas behind Skybird ($3.50), Shinn has elected to start the cumulative 28-meeting penalty after Saturday’s card at Caulfield.
“We had a bit of a scare with Blake getting put out, but luckily he’s taking it (suspension) after (Thousand Guineas), so it’s worked out really well,” Moroney said.
“She’s coming along really well, she did a piece of work Saturday morning, she’ll have a major one on Tuesday, and she seems really good, has put on nice weight and looks well.”
Coeur Volante squeezed through a neat gap two starts back to win at The Valley and then bolted in the Group 2 Tranquil Star Stakes (1400m) second up after an 11-week freshen.
A dominant 1300m win at Sandown back in June was the catalyst for Moroney to plot a path to the rescheduled Thousand Guineas.
The Thousand Guineas and Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes were pushed back to mid-November as part of a Racing Victoria and Melbourne Racing Club bid to extend the spring carnival.
Despite the challenge of keeping Coeur Volante trending towards peak fitness, Moroney said “the first two races went to script”.
“We considered whether we gave her another run in between, decided we wouldn’t need it,” Moroney said, with Coeur Volante a month between runs going into the Thousand Guineas.
“It has been a bit of a job to keep her up, she had only a short break over winter, in the middle of winter too.
“Whatever she does now she’ll be even better in the autumn, but she’s quite naturally gifted obviously … we’re looking forward to the race.”
Ray Thomas’s Blackbook with five to follow from Rosehill Saturday
Other notable early nominations for the Thousand Guineas include Joliestar ($11), Kimochi ($11), Carina Queen ($15) and Zourion ($15).
Moroney has bold frontrunner Buffalo River and Not An Option poised to contest the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.
Buffalo River, to be ridden again by Celine Gaudray, has won two of his past three starts including the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes and Group 3 Moonga Stakes.
Originally published as Trainer Michael Moroney eyes Thousand Guineas success with Coeur Volante, to be ridden by Blake Shinn
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