Morgan Happy With Eloping Ahead Of Royal Randwick Stakes

Peter Morgan is happy with the condition of Eloping heading into the 2014 Royal Randwick Stakes on Saturday and the veteran trainer said he can’t believe how well the talented filly has recovered from her brave run in the Golden Slipper.

Eloping will be having the seventh start of her racing career in the 2014 Royal Randwick Stakes this Saturday.

Eloping will be having the seventh start of her racing career in the 2014 Royal Randwick Stakes this Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Eloping went into the 2014 Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 as one of the outsiders in the field, but took up the running in the early stages of the race and looked as though she was going to finish in the placings before blundering at the 50 metre mark.

Morgan told Racing Ahead this morning that he was happy with the performance of Eloping in the Golden Slipper and is thrilled with the way that the daughter of Choisir is holding her condition towards the end of her maiden preparation.

“She is very good, I can’t believe it,” Morgan said.

“She just keeps going around and nothing ever goes wrong.

“She just keeps responding and everything seems to keep getting better with her.

“She sort of stopped in the track a little bit and she probably lost about four lengths doing that.

“It was exciting for a little while and I thought that we were going to run a place.”

Eloping has shown plenty of early speed in her six career starts to date and Morgan expects the talented juvenile to take up the running when she jumps from barrier ten in the 2014 Royal Randwick Stakes.

There is plenty of talent in the Royal Randwick Stakes field, with $500,000 in prizemoney up for grabs, but Morgan is confident that his star filly can maintain her consistent form and produce another strong performance in the Group 3.

“We won’t alter that,” Morgan said when asked if he would change the racing pattern of Eloping.

“She is just a natural speedster and even in the Slipper she jumped out and crossed them over pretty easy.

“Being Randwick we can jump out and hold a straight line for a little while and slowly work our way over.

“I am not confident, but I am confident that she will give a good sight.”

Darley filly Memorial ($4.60) is currently a narrow favourite in Royal Randwick Stakes betting markets from stablemate Shaumari ($5), Danny Bougoure-trained Oakleigh Girl ($6.50) and Widden Stakes runner-up Ygritte ($8.50), while Eloping is available at a quote of $9.50.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.