Mike Moroney predicts former German import Sound will be a major factor in the spring Cups

Mike Moroney believes former German galloper Sound, who didn’t fire last spring, will be a different horse this year and could become a genuine Caulfield and Melbourne Cup contender.

Mike Moroney is predicting former German stayer Sound will emerge as a legitimate Caulfield and Melbourne Cup prospect this spring.

And Moroney confirmed it is all systems go for emerging star Buffalo River to target the $7.5 million The Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on November 2.

Sound was transferred to Moroney last spring after he finished second to subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution in the Group 1 Grosser Pries Von Berlin at Hoppegarten in August.

He then ran in the feature Cups races finishing 12th in the Caulfield Cup and 18th in the Melbourne Cup but Moroney said he hadn’t acclimatised.

“He’ll be a different horse this spring. It was a bit of a rush last time. He’s back in work already and coming along nicely,” Moroney said.

Moroney’s confidence was buoyed by what Sound did in the autumn although on face value his form also looked disappointing.

Moroney is placing his faith in what Sound can do from his performance when he finished sixth in the Tancred Stakes behind Avilius.

“I’m a big fan of Damien Lane but he rode a shocker that day. He should have finished second and that’s a pretty good form line for this spring,” he said.

Moroney also said Sound wasn’t at his best during the autumn as he battled with feet issues.

“I had to rush to get him to those race. I didn’t think I could get him there but we really had to push him so I thought his runs in the autumn were really as in reality he was short of a run every time.”

THE EVEREST: IRISH SPRINTER ON COURSE TO SCALE HEIGHTS

CAULFIELD: BIG PLANS FOR MORONEY’S SURPRISE PACKET

Damien Oliver rides Buffalo River to victory in the Silver Bowl Series Final.

He said he was pleased he could give Sound a nice long preparation for the spring features this time.

He also said the exciting prospect Buffalo River, who has won his three starts for Moroney, would have a three weeks spell then be brought back into work to try and get a run in the Golden Eagle.

He said Buffalo River would have a couple of runs before the Golden Eagle but he might need to win the $500,000 The Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick on October 5 to gain a start in the race.

“If he can’t get in there’s plenty of races in Melbourne for him,” he said.

“I’m really excited about him because the best is to come as he’s got a bit of growing to come.”

Trainer Michael Moroney after Buffalo River’s victory on Flemington Finals Day.

THE EVEREST: IRISH SPRINTER ON COURSE TO SCALE HEIGHTS

MONDAY RACEBOOK

TRAINERS ‘MISS THE POINT’

There’s still a lot of discussion regarding the introduction of the $400,000 Star Of The Saddle incentive bonus for jockeys during the spring with trainers still annoyed they’ve been overlooked.

Victorian Jockeys’ Association chief executive Matt Hyland said the trainers who had complained didn’t quite understand the format.

“It’s an incentive for the jockeys to stay here. It’s not part of the prizemoney. It’s rewarding them for staying here and riding,” Hyland said.

Hyland also pointed out that jockeys receive five per cent of the prizemoney compared to the trainer’s 10 per cent.

Craig Williams said the incentive would influence him to ride in Melbourne in preference to Sydney during the Spring carnival.

WILLIAMS RUES MISSED TON

Craig Williams has his eighth Melbourne Jockeys’ premiership in the bag but is still rueing his attitude of several years ago.

Williams has ridden 82 winners and will easily better his winning total of last year of 63.

Williams said this season was his best result for ages but he reflected on what he now considered a poor decision another time he won the premiership.

“It was during the Lindsay Park years. I had ridden 97 winners and decided to go to the Greek Isles on a holiday with a meeting left in the season. I haven’t gone close to 100 since.”

DUNN DOES IT AGAIN AT THE HEATH

Dwayne Dunn continued his recent love affair with the Caulfield track with another $10 winner there on Saturday with Turn The Tide.

It’s no wonder some punters are going to Caulfield and just backing him.

He’s had 74 rides there this season for nine winners, eight seconds and 12 thirds. If you’d placed $1 the win on his mounts you would be showing a profit of 78 per cent.

FREEDMAN CONFIDENT FORM TO CONTINUE

Sam Freedman is hoping that by keeping Caulfield winner Bedford fresh he will continue his recent bout of good form.

Freedman said early on Bedford had the makings of a top class horse but he’d had problems with niggling injuries.

Now their approach is to keep him fresh and race him every few weeks which he’s benefiting from.

Freedman said Jamie Mott had also made a difference as he needed a strong left hand whip rider.

RUN OF THE DAY

The most impressive win of the day came in Sydney from Team Hawkes debutant two-year-old Spend at Rosehill who came from off the speed for a narrow win.

It was this time last year the Hawkes team unveiled Brutal and they look to have another colt who can be to the fore in the spring races in Sydney and Melbourne.

Also at Caulfield Grey Khan fought on strongly for fourth behind Tavirun and should pick up a staying race shortly.

WHO’S HOT

What a week for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young with seven winners last week.

They trained a double at Geelong on Friday and followed that with Tavirun at Caulfield and Curragh at Rosehill.

Young said they have tweaked a few things in the way they’ve been training their horse

Young said Tavirun was still likely to head to Singapore at some stage and contest the Singapore Derby next year for four-year-olds.

“We’ve done a few change arounds with the team at home and everybody is concentrating on attention to detail.”

Originally published as Mike Moroney predicts former German import Sound will be a major factor in the spring Cups