Moroney looking for magic forecast

By Stephen Rodgers

Trainer Mike Moroney is relying on an encouraging weather forecast to produce an ideal surface for tough stayer Maythehorsebemagic in the Group Three Queen's Cup at Eagle Farm.

Saturday's Queen's Cup over 3200 metres is one of the few races left on the Australian calendar at the distance of the Melbourne Cup.

Moroney's star performer in Queensland this winter has been Shenzhou Steeds who backed up his Ipswich Cup win with victory in Saturday's Caloundra Cup and the trainer is hoping Maythehorsebemagic can keep the momentum going.

"Dead to slow tracks are best for him but any wetter than that and I'd be concerned," Moroney said.

"Fortunately the sun is out and there's a strong wind. The forecast looks promising which should help the track at Eagle Farm to dry out."

Moroney targeted the Queen's Cup as a realistic winter carnival goal for Maythehorsebemagic after he finished second to Dame Claire in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes (3200m) at Flemington in May.

At his first start in Brisbane following the Ramsden, the son of Zabeel finished seventh to Ginga Dude in the Tattersall's Cup (2200m) on June 23 after Moroney was forced to tweak his carnival campaign.

"When I brought him up here my plan was to run in the Brisbane Cup then go onto the Queen's Cup without a run in between," he said.

"But he was an emergency for the Brisbane Cup and missed out on a start so I had to run him in the Tatt's Cup as a back-up plan.

"He drew a bad gate in that race and had to go right back to near last. The way the track was playing on the day made it tough for him to make up ground.

"But I was happy with the way he finished off the race from a future viewpoint going to the 3200 metres next time out."

Moroney has abandoned spring carnival plans for talented mare Bonnie Mac, who will undergo a throat operation after her failure in the Tatt's Tiara.

© Australian Associated Press Pty Limited (AAP) 2012

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