Dry Track The Key For Moriarty In Doomben Cup

Jockey Craig Newitt is confident that imported stayer Moriarty can produce an improved effort on a dry track in the 2014 Doomben Cup this weekend.

Moriarty will be racing in Brisbane for the first time since he took out the 2013 Brisbane Cup.

Moriarty will be racing in Brisbane for the first time since he took out the 2013 Brisbane Cup. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Moriarty started his 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival with a string of impressive performances, finishing third in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on February 22 and fourth in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on March 8, but was unable to produce his best form on rain affected tracks in both the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 and the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 3.

Newitt told Racing Ahead that he was satisfied with the effort of Moriarty in the Hollindale Stakes and believes that the Clodovil gelding can play a factor in the finish of the Doomben Cup that is set to be run on a dead to good track.

“I thought that he ran really good,” Newitt said.

“He got back in an evenly run race and tracked up really good behind the leaders, but just on a bog track he can’t get any traction and show his acceleration.

“Hopefully tomorrow can get a lot firmer surface and he can produce his best.

“He is the sort of horse that races nearly every carnival every year, he is very tough, and he never puts in a bad run.

“He just needs to get on top of the ground, so that he can show his acceleration at the end of his races.”

Moriarty has shown that he can be ridden forward during his autumn preparation, with Hugh Bowman taking the imported stayer to the lead early in the Chipping Norton Stakes, but Newitt said that he plans on settling the six-year-old towards the tail of the when he jumps from barrier seven in the Doomben Cup tomorrow.

“I would think that they will tell me to ride him a little bit quiet,” Newitt said.

“There looks to be a little bit of speed in there with Bossy’s horse (Mr O’Ceirin), Fat Al, Streama will probably roll forward and Leebaz.

“It should be an evenly run race and hopefully he gets a nice ride into the race coming to the corner and I am sure that he will be in the finish.”

Newitt is chasing his first win in the Doomben Cup after previously missing the placings with Lectrice in 2008 and Tru Glo in 2003.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.