Melbourne Cup winning trainer Mike Moroney believes Saturday’s A$300,000 Coastal Classic at Geelong presents as the ideal race for stable stalwart, Bermadez (NZ) (Tavistock).
The seven-year-old hasn’t won since May 2022 but has returned in good form this preparation, finishing second to Pascero (Pierro) in both of his runs, firstly at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day and then at Caulfield last time out.
“His last two runs have been really good,” Moroney said.
“I think we’ve got him right; he seems to be racing back to his best form now and his best form would see him pretty hard to beat in this, I would think.”
Bermadez is at $5 with Sportsbet for the Coastal Classic and highlights a strong team that Moroney will take to the Super Saturday fixture in the holiday region this weekend.
The New Zealander is hoping that talented four-year-old Japanese Emperor (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) can find his best form when he contests The Valley Inn BM84 Handicap.
Moroney has freshened up the gelding, who finished third to Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) and Attrition (Churchill) in last year’s Australian Guineas, and has brought him back in distance to 1100m following feedback from Damien Oliver.
“Ollie hopped off him last start and I knew what his answer was going to be and that was, he doesn’t even get a mile,” Moroney said.
“We thought it was a lack of fitness in the Guineas because he went to win and he just got rundown the last bit, thinking it might have been a lack of match practice and fitness, but I don’t think it was, I think he’s more of a 1200m to 1400m horse.
“We’re experimenting to a degree with him, but we’re well aware that he’s got the ability and if we’re right about him, well, he could come out and win on Saturday.”
