Trainer Michael Moroney eyes spring riches with Star Surprise

Mike Moroney’s mighty midget two-year-old Star Surprise will push on to the early spring three-year-old stakes races after notching his second win in three starts.

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Mike Moroney’s mighty midget two-year-old gelding Star Surprise will push on to the early spring three-year-old stakes races after scoring in the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield.

“He’s got a lot of ability and he tries hard. He should be three out of three,” Moroney said. “He’s so small the stable staff call him Kinder Surprise. He’s been slowly away in his races and his jockey, Nikita Beriman, said it’s because he’s so small his first stride is half in the gates.”

The small but mighty Star Surprise surges clear to take out the first race on the card at @MelbRacingClub for @BallymoreStabls. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/E7FSJ8BlbV

— Racing.com (@Racing) July 13, 2019

The Flemington trainer said he couldn’t understand the discrepancy in the price of Star Surprise and the favourite, Can’t Be Done, and he drew confidence from the pair’s debut at Sale, where Can’t Be Done prevailed.

“He got two kilos on him from that race and he missed the start that day, gave him 10 lengths as well and almost came down on the turn,” Moroney said. “I know (Can’t Be Done) won easily but I thought if he jumped he would have beaten him.”

IN A NUTSHELL

Cindy Alderson was to the fore with a winning double at Caulfield, scoring with Miss Vixen and Turn The Tide. Alderson thanked Luke Currie for his effort on Miss Vixen, saying that, as she’s a backmarker, she needed to have her run timed perfectly.

Alderson also quipped that the win of Turn The Tide over 1400m proved his jockey wrong, as Dwayne Dunn had predicted he couldn’t run further than 1200m.

Cindy Alderson trained a double at Caulfield. Picture: Getty Images

■ Zac Spain was pleased he could ride his first city winner, Special Diva, as senior jockey for Mick Price because of the support the Caulfield trainer had given him.

Spain finished his apprenticeship in March and rode work for Price twice a week as well as for several other stables. Price said he was pleased to get another win for long-time client Rob Harding, who has been with him for 27 years.

“She’s a real trier,” he said of Special Diva. “She’s a good wet-tracker and she loves 1400m.”

■ Nikita Beriman continued her good recent form with a winning double. She scored on Star Surprise for Mike Moroney and later on Tavirun, whose co-trainer Natalie Young said that Beriman’s ride was a key factor in the win.

“We were going to lead and then we heard the Gelagotis horse wanted to lead so rather than get involved in a battle with him we thought we’d sit off him,” she said.

The tactic worked a treat as Tavirun usurped the lead early in the straight and didn’t look like losing.

.@lil_spaino96 scores his first metro win as a senior for @MickPriceRacing! pic.twitter.com/HXrpr1LOI9

— Racing.com (@Racing) July 13, 2019

DID YOU SEE/HEAR?

On the eve of the cricket World Cup final, Kiwis were also shining at Caulfield in successive races. Trainer Rachael Frost won with Travimyfriend and then Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young enjoyed success with Tavirun. Both horses are by noted Kiwi sire Tavistock, who also sired the last race winner Bedford.

Frost brought four horses across with her last year from New Zealand and three have won in town, with Travimyfriend being her first Saturday winner. She also does pre-training for Busuttin and Young. Travimyfriend was ridden by another Kiwi, Michael Dee.

■ Some good news filtering through regarding the progress of Tahlia Hope. Despite having an elevated temperature in Frankston Hospital on Friday night, the 20-year-old jockey on Saturday continued to show improvement in her battle with viral meningitis, according to the Victorian Jockey Association. Meanwhile, Cranbourne trainer Bruce Purcell remains in a critical but stable condition in The Alfred hospital after being kicked in the head by a horse on Friday.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

MALIBU STYLE: May have cost himself at the start by being a little slow away. Was then held up for a run but, once he got clear, he charged home.

EXCUSES, EXCUSES

ORGANZA: Craig Williams said his mount struggled on the rain-affected track. He said she would have run better if the deluge hadn’t come when they were at the barriers, delaying the race for 15 minutes.

JUNIPAL: Gave away too much at the start but still finished on nicely.

STEWARDS

JAMIE KAH: Eight-meeting suspension for careless riding aboard unplaced Sukoshi.