Orr Stakes: Mike Moroney hopes Alabama Express can deliver a Group 1
Mike Moroney won’t hesitate throwing Alabama Express into the deep end in the Group 1 Orr Stakes against weight-for-age opposition in a bid to increase the three-year-old colt’s stud value.
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Mike Moroney says rewards outweigh risks when his three-year-old colt Alabama Express tackles the older horses in the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield next Saturday.
The three-year-old colt who resumed with a brilliant win over 1100m at Flemington on January 18 will be taking on weight-for-age stars like Scales Of Justice and Hey Doc.
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“My advice to the owners, and I’m one of them — but nowhere near the biggest — is to run him in the Group 1,” Moroney said.
“He’s a stallion prospect, he’s already got value, but he can improve his value by a fair bit.”
Moroney knows it’s going to be a challenge for the son of Redoute’s Choice.
“He’s going to have to improve being a colt against the older horses but I’d like to have a go at the Group 1,” he said.
“He’s won over 1400m before at Caulfield. He’s up to the better three-year-olds; whether he’s up to older weight-for-age horses we’ll find out.
“He’s a pretty good horse and he can make his own luck racing on the speed. I know he’s one of the better three-year-olds (so) I suppose if the race is too strong he can run in the three-year-old race.”
Moroney said he was still considering running Alabama Express in the Australian Guineas on February 29.
Meanwhile, Moroney said he was not disappointed with Aktau’s wet-track third behind Just Benjamin in the Mal Seccull Handicap (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
“I was happy with his run. He didn’t quite sprint the way he did on top of the ground,” Moroney said.
Aktau would have his next start at Caulfield over 2000m on February 22 then run in the Mornington Cup on March 21.