Amish Boy will take winning form into the Mornington Sires’ and this looks another nice race for him. The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained colt has improved with each of his four career starts so far, culminating in a lovely win in the Adelaide Magic Millions 2YO Classic last time out. He’s rock-hard fit for this and will take beating.
4 Units Amish Boy
This looks to be a pretty wide-open contest, but I’ll be happy to have something small on the second-up Des Moines. Des Moines has been a consistent performer for the Moroney yard for a couple of preparations now, and there was a lot to like about the way he hit the line to fill the minors when resuming at Flemington. The form out of that race has been good and she’ll take good improvement into this.
1 Unit Des Moines
Too Good Too Hard hasn’t been seen at the races since Derby Day, but she returned some lovely performances last time and is up to winning this race fresh. The All Too Hard mare recorded consecutive wins, including one at this track and distance before ending her campaign fifth in Group 3 company. She’s had the benefit of a trial in the lead-up to this race and looks to have conditions to suit.
2 Units Too Good Too Hard
Messerschmitt has returned to the races in typically good form this time and strikes another very winnable one at Mornington on Saturday. The Anthony Freedman-trained gelding won down the straight at HQ when resuming and has placed at his two subsequent starts, which included a BM88 race at Morphettville last time in which he just missed the smart Tequila Time. He’ll take further improvement into this and looks a touch over at around the $6.50 mark.
2 Units E/W Messerschmitt
Salsamor has found top gear and looks well placed to record a third-consecutive win in the fifth on Mornington Cup Day. The Tavistock gelding did take a couple of tune-ups when resuming in December, but his last two efforts at Flemington and Wangaratta (the latter the Cup) have been nothing short of outstanding, and I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish again.
3 Units Salsamor
This is a wide-open edition of the Neds Guineas and at publish, we’re faced with $5 the field.
Given there is a case to be made for plenty here, I’ll be happy to have something on Kiwi import Yourdeel at a big price ($15 at publish). The Dundeel gelding is actually a two-time Group 1 winner, having taken out the Sistema Stakes and the Sires Produce in his homeland prior to transferring to Lindsay Park. He hasn’t been up to either of the Group 3 CS Hayes or a hot 1400m at Flemington this time, but he harbours improvement, and this is a good drop in class.
1 Unit E/W Yourdeel
With ballot-free entry into the Caulfield Cup on the line, a quality field of stayers will contest the Mornington Cup but I think that Harlem will prove extremely difficult to beat. The two-time Australian Cup winner has clearly returned to the track in outstanding condition this time and getting out to a mile and a half at this point of his prep looks ideal. Harlem hit the line with intent to finish fourth in the Carlyon Cup when resuming, returning an excellent albeit luckless run for fifth in the Group 3 Peter Young before another excellent run for fourth in his third Australian Cup a fortnight ago. Even with topweight, the $10 on offer at publish is over the odds and he is my best value bet of the weekend.
2 Units E/W Harlem
Diamond Effort has gone to another level this time and the Neds Hareeba Stakes looks a lovely bit of black type for her. The Clinton McDonald-trained mare resumed with an utterly dominant display at Caulfield before winning in BM84 company at Flemington two weeks ago. She harbours further improvement, will carry only 54kgs and has drawn the ideal barrier 4.
I’m also eager to have a saver on the topweight Faatinah. The evergreen sprinter still clearly gives his all and kept chasing in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate first-up before winning a Listed race at The Valley last week.
2 Units Diamond Effort
1 Unit E/W Faatinah
Declares War kept all of his best work for late when resuming at Flemington and he’ll enjoy good improvement for that hit-out and getting out in trip at Mornington on Saturday. The Declaration Of War gelding enjoyed a competitive three-year-old season which culminated in a run in the Group 1 Queensland Derby, albeit a failed tilt. This looks a lovely race for him.
2 Units Declares War