Former Kiwi galloper Gundown (High Chaparral) has come from the rear of the field to land Thursday’s Moe Cup (2050m) in style, relishing the rain-softened conditions.
The five-year-old son of High Chaparral made the most of the worsening track conditions to power over the top of his rivals to score by a length and a quarter from Annarbor (Excelebration), with $26 chance Mr Clarify (NZ) (Savabeel) a half-neck back in third.
Now in the care of Michael Moroney at Flemington, the win in the A$150,000 feature was the first in three starts for his new conditioner, after commencing his career with Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in New Zealand.
Sporting the colours of prominent owner Lib Petagna, Gundown has now won four races and is placed at Group Two and Group Three level.
Moroney’s stable representative, Jack Turnbull, was thrilled to see the gelding achieve one of the goals they set for him so early in his campaign.
“Country cups were always going to be on his radar and thankfully we’ve ticked one off,” he said.
“He had the conditions to suit with the evident rainfall and it panned out really well.
“He’s shown good ability at home and he’s quite sharp for a horse that’s performed at two miles.” Bred by Raffles Farm, Gundown was sold by Trelawney Stud for $70,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, where he was snapped up by Lib Petagna’s bloodstock and racing manager Bruce Perry.
