Eloping A Chance To Run In McEwen Stakes

Co-trainer Peter Morgan has revealed that speedy filly Eloping is a chance of taking on Lankan Rupee in the 2014 McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley next weekend.

Eloping could make her open racing debut in the McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley next Saturday.

Eloping could make her open racing debut in the McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley next Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart

Eloping is set to be included in the nominations for both the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) and the three-year-olds race at Moonee Valley on September 6 and Morgan said that great consideration is being put into running the filly against open company for the first time in her racing career.

“She is a chance,” Morgan told Sky Racing HQ.

“We haven’t quite decided yet, there is a three-year-old race on the same day for her, and we are just going to wait during the week to see where we want to go.”

Eloping was one of the most consistent two-year-olds during the 2014 Melbourne Festival Of Racing and the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and did not produce a poor performance in her eight race starts.

The Choisir filly made her racing debut with a comfortable win at Bendigo on December 22 and she made her black type racing debut with an impressive performance in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on January 25.

Eloping finished a credible second behind Earthquake in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8 and suffered another defeat in the Listed Sports 1000 (1000m) at Flemington on March 1 before he returned to winning form in the VOBIS Gold Rush (1000m) at Bendigo on March 15.

Morgan opted to give Eloping a chance at Group 1 level in the Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 and she took up the running in early stages of the race and looked as though she was going to finish in the placings, but she blundered in the last 50 metres of the race to finish seventh.

Eloping was expected to be sent to the spelling paddock following the Golden Slipper, but she continued to exhibit promising signs and the decision to give her in work paid dividends when she took out the Group 3 Royal Randwick Stakes (1200m) on April 19.

Morgan and training partner Craig Widdison were thrilled with the toughness that was shown by Eloping during her juvenile campaign and the Whittlesea-based trainer believes that she is a very similar horse heading into her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival preparation.

“I think that she is still the same,” Morgan said.

“She trialed a fortnight ago and we were very happy with her trial and she has done well since.

“Her coat is just starting to come out and she hasn’t had a setback at all this prep.

“She is just the same Eloping, she hasn’t changed at all.

“She is a good horse to train, she doesn’t give any bother, she eats her feed all the time and she goes out and does her work.

“She is just a dream to train.”

Eloping has recorded four wins from her eight race starts to date and has accumulated almost $700,000 in prizemoney for connections.

About The Author

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.