Viking Hero is one of Michael Moroney's three runners in the Brisbane Cup

Of the 13 starters in this Saturday’s Brisbane Cup three belong to Michael Moroney as he puts his stayers to the test ahead of spring plans later in the year.

Moroney has the dominate favourite Glass Harmonium as well as Tinseltown and Viking Hero in the 2400m Group 2 test.

Glass Harmonium has made waves since arriving here earlier in the year and goes into the race after claiming his debut Australian win in the Eagle Farm Cup.

“He travelled very nicely in the Eagle Farm Cup, and when Lisa (Cropp) loomed up to them at the 800m mark I knew he was going to be hard to beat.” Moroney said.

They are still fiddling with his racing pattern a bit as he was ridden back in the Hollindale Stakes on the Gold Coast, he took up a big lead in the Doomben Cup and last start he took a sit just off the leaders.

“He hasn’t raced on the speed a lot. He was very often ridden cold when he was in England, but I think he can go forward if there is a lack of speed in the race,” Moroney said.

There are still a few questions surrounding the hulking grey, one is how he would handle a heavy track and the second is how well he can back up.

At least oen of those queries will be answered this weekend.

“This is his first time coming off the quick back up, but I think he’ll handle it OK.,” Moroney said.

“He’s come through the race well and put in some good work this morning. He gets in nicely at the weights too which is a plus.”

Tinseltown is another major player in the race as he has his second run back from a race fall in the Sydney Cup.

Last start he ran a game second in the Premier’s Cup at Doomben and he’ll be aided by the return of Kerrin McEvoy who broke his collarbone in that fall in April.

Tinseltown will carry a relatively small 53.5kg and running the 2400m will be no issue for a horse which has run in the last two Auckland Cup’s over two miles.

Moroney’s third horse Viking Hero is the least fancied of the entries however the horse has shown signs of improvement in his four-year-old season.

He was gelded before this preparation and that seems to have done the trick according to Moroney.

“He’s going terrific. He’s really come of age now. He’s a completely different horse since we made the decision to geld him,” he said.

“I think he’ a horse on the rise, and could be the big improver in the race.”

The rain which was forecast earlier in the week has held off so far around Brisbane but clouds continue to threaten around Eagle Farm.

Any wet weather would probably aid the likes of Tinseltown and Viking Hero but Glass Harmonium is yet to be proven across soft surfaces.