Michael Moroney believes he has the mare to “knock the bastard off”.
Last start Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) heroine Tofane has made a real impression on the trans-Tasman trainer who is eyeing a possible tilt at The Everest (1200m), the world’s richest turf race, at Randwick in the spring.
“We are just waiting for them to confirm prizemoney for The Everest,” Moroney said. “We might attack that, which does change a lot what you do in the spring.
“On the fresh side she would be competitive in an Everest and from then on she probably wants to go up to a mile.
“We were even contemplating that if there wasn’t an Everest then we could give her a prep in the lead-up to the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m).
“She is one of those mares that you can put anywhere and she has got the ability to be competitive at most distances I would think, now that she is starting to relax.”
The daughter of Ocean Park has won five of her 14 career starts, including the Gr.3 Northwood Plume Stakes (1200m), Gr.3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1100m), and the All-Aged Stakes, and Moroney has a high opinion of the New Zealand-bred mare.
“The best horse we have got is definitely Tofane,” Moroney said. “For her to do what she did (in the All Aged Stakes) puts her in the top draw. She could end up as good a mare as I have trained I think.
“She has been racing for just over 12 months and to win a Group One against all-comers at weight-for-age is very hard to do.” – NZ Racing Desk
