Moir Stakes the Goal for Ball Of Muscle

Trainer Joe Pride has revealed classy sprinter Ball Of Muscle will be set for the 2016 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley, when he returns to racing during the forthcoming Spring Carnival.

Ball Of Muscle will be set for the 2016 Moir Stakes upon resuming in spring. Photo: Daniel Costello

Ball Of Muscle will be set for the 2016 Moir Stakes upon resuming in spring. Photo: Daniel Costello

Ball Of Muscle has been a standout performer amongst Pride’s impressive sprinting ranks through recent seasons; posting an impressive eight wins and nine minors through a total of nineteen career starts.

While failing to make much of an impact through a short autumn campaign, Pride has been thrilled with the benefit taken by the classy son of Dubawi through a long spell and is confident the horse will again relish the conditions of the Group 1 Moir Stakes; a race in which he placed second to Buffering in 2015.

“Ball Of Muscle comes back to the stable on Monday and he will go first-up into the Moir Stake,” Pride told AAP.

“We will also look at Perth and the Winterbottom with him.”

A full brother to Group 1 winner and former stable mate Tiger Tees, Ball Of Muscle immediately stamped himself as a horse to follow upon debuting to racing for second amongst talented company in the Thortz Electrolyte Drink Maiden (900m) in November, 2013.

Returning to the paddock after posting a maiden race win in the TAB Rewards Maiden Plate (1100m) a fortnight later, Ball Of Muscle returned in 2014 for consecutive wins in a pair of minor New South Wales sprints and continued to impress through two subsequent starts, before being put away with a view towards summer targets.

Continuing his slick run of form with another pair of wins in minor Sydney sprints upon resuming, the gelding out of Parfore made a commendable transition to black type company when second in the Listed Canterbury Classic (1200m) before posting his first win at graded company in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) in January last year.

Resuming in late autumn for second in the 3am Community Raceday Handicap (1000m), Ball Of Muscle ran a close second to Srikandi in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) on the Gold Coast before posting undoubtedly the biggest win of his career to date in the Group 2 QTC Cup (1200m).

Failing to finish outside the first three through four starts in spring, Ball Of Muscle placed third in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) and second in the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) leading into the Moir Stakes; ending his campaign third in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m).

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Jared Timms

Jared graduated with a journalism degree in 2011. He is a keen sports fan and has enjoyed many accolades for his lively writing style and comprehensive coverage of major sporting events and horse racing. Today, you can find Jared cheering on his beloved Manchester City with a beer in hand.