Trans-Tasman trainer Michael Moroney had a season to remember last term, capped by She’s A Thief’s win at Caulfield last Saturday, taking the stable past the $6 million threshold for the season.
“She’s A Thief is a good example of how we operate,” Michael Moroney said. “Purchased for $30,000 as a yearling at the New Zealand Bloodstock Sales at Karaka by Paul Moroney (brother and bloodstock agent), she won at Group level as a two-year-old in New Zealand and her earnings now exceed $275,000 and she has more than one friend.”
Fellow Kiwi-bred Tofane completed her early education at Ballymore’s Matamata barn with New Zealand co-trainer Pam Gerard before transferring to Australia and going on to win the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m).
“Pam identified pretty early on that Tofane had talent and her judgement was spot on with the mare eventually getting the breaks at the highest level in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick after some unlucky runs in Group One races and we are hopeful of adding more feature races to her record later this year,” Moroney said.
“Apart from supporting racing in New Zealand, one of the advantages of having the base there is that we are able to identify these type of horses and then nurture them into stakes performers.
“Harlech is a Group winning example of this and the now four-year-old son of Darci Brahma is training well at Flemington and preparing for the rich spring races.
The opportunities to exploit the two stables is one Moroney is keen to expand.
“We have the opportunity to start horses off in New Zealand and then filter them in to Flemington if they warrant the trip,” Moroney said.
“We’ve always been big buyers of yearlings in New Zealand and we look forward to continued and new support from New Zealand owners and breeders as we aim to exploit the Australian prizemoney.
