Imported galloper Moriarty produced a tough staying effort to win the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) and will head to the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) in a fortnights time as one of the leading contenders.
Moriarty will head to the Metropolitan Handicap after his impressive win in the Hill Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Gai Waterhouse-trained Glencadam Gold set the pace early and looked as though he had pinched the race when he kicked clear with 300 meters left to run but Moriarty charged home strongly to win the race running away from the rest of the field on the line.
Moriarty has been set specifically for the Metropolitan Handicap and trainer Chris Waller said he is delighted the five-year-old is peaking at the right time after producing promising performances in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) and Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m).
“All the writing has been on the wall,” Waller said of the impressive win.
“His last start was terrific and you could see the condition on him.
“To be heading towards a Group 1 race next start we needed to do something and he has delivered.
“It is a good time in the preparation that is what he has been set for.
“We aren’t getting carried away with Caulfield Cups or anything like that – The Metropolitan is our home Caulfield Cup and he looks well placed for that.”
Nash Rawiller was partnering Moriarty for the first time since his win in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) and said that he was happy with the staying performance of the Clodovil gelding.
“Getting past the 200 I was more than confident but I did have it in the back of my mind that he was third-up,” Rawiller said.
“To his credit he is just a beautiful stayer; he started to hurt a little bit but he just got stronger and stronger as the line got closer.”
Rawiller is set to partner Moriarty when he steps-up to Group 1 level for the first time in the Metropolitan Handicap and he is confident that the five-year-old is good enough to win the race.
“It is his opportunity to win a Group 1 race and I am very confident that he will be he hard to beat,” Rawiller said.
Lloyd Williams-trained Masked Marvel produced an eye-catching run; coming from the back of the field to finish third despite drifting to the very outside of the track in his first race in Sydney.
