Green Moon and Sea Moon are both available at lengthy 2014 Caulfield Cup odds, but co-owner Nick Williams is confident that the pair will run better than their prices suggest in the Group 1 event at Caulfield this weekend.
Green Moon has not recorded a race win since he took out the 2012 Melbourne Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
The talented duo both failed to fire at Flemington on October 4, with Green Moon beating home just a single runner and Sea Moon finishing a disappointing fifth in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2520m), but Williams said at the Caulfield Cup barrier draw yesterday that the Macedon Lodge team had been impressed with the trackwork of the imported stayers and he is confident that they can produce an improved performance in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) this weekend.
“On their last runs you would have to think that they are flukers hopes at best, but on what they have done before that and what they have been showing us at home we think they are much better hopes than that,” Williams said.
“We wouldn’t be running them if we didn’t think they were going well.
“We expect the two of them to run very well.”
Williams revealed earlier in the year that the Caulfield Cup was the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival goal for Green Moon and he confirmed yesterday that the Montjeu entire has been set for the Group 1 event.
Green Moon drew ideally in barrier six at the 2014 Caulfield Cup barrier draw yesterday and Williams hopes that jockey Chad Schofield will be able to settle the seven-year-old close to the speed in the early stages of the race.
“This has been Green Moon’s grand final for this preparation, he has been set for the race and we are fairly confident that he will run a very bold race,” Williams said.
“If you go back to Green Moon in this race two year’s ago where he drew the outside and had no luck getting a run and just missed winning.
“All his good runs have been when he has been able to position on pace and we will be hoping to get him up there on the pace and see if he can out tough them.”
Sea Moon was well-backed in the lead-up to The Bart Cummings at Flemington on October 4, but was unable to make up much great in the final stages of the race and he finished four lengths behind Who Shot Thebarman.
Williams admits that the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) is the major target for Sea Moon, but is still hopeful that the Beat Hollow entire can return to a semblance of his best form.
“Sea Moon has obviously got to get around the Caulfield track and I think that you will probably see the best of him over two miles at Flemington, but if he brings the form we know he has got and the way he has been working at home he will run well,” Williams said.
Green Moon is currently available at 2014 Caulfield Cup odds of $26, while Sea Moon is an extreme outsider at $61.
