The Mike Moroney-trained duo of Alaskan Rose and Tulsa have returned to track work and the veteran trainer is confident that both horses will be improved performers during the autumn.

Tulsa was only narrowly denied by Bon Aurum in the Pin And Win Stakes during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Alaskan Rose stamped herself as a horse to follow when she started her racing career with two wins from as many starts, but she beat home just a single runner in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 10, while Tulsa headed for a break following his sound effort in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10.

Moroney told Racing.com that both Alaskan Rose and Tulsa had both taken plenty of benefit from their stints in the spelling paddock and come back to the stable in improved physical condition.

“They have been back in work for nearly three weeks now,” Moroney said.

“That gave them almost six weeks out.

“They have both come back looking very well, especially Alaskan Rose she has really grown a lot and filled out a lot.

“Tulsa is the same because he went out pretty light and through the spring he was struggling to hold his condition and he was going through a growing stage, so I thought his efforts were good and I think you will see a big improvement from both of them.”

Moroney confirmed that both Tulsa and Alaskan Rose would both return to the races during the autumn, but he does not have a firm target for either horse that are both still to prove they are capable of being competitive at the highest level of racing.

He is hopeful that both horses will be able to make the leap required and the duo could end up in races like the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) or Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m), which will both be run on the same day again in 2016.

“We will just see where they fit in,” Moroney said.

“We will just start in the lower class and try and make our way to the bigger races.

“They both look like they will be up for it.”

Moroney has not recorded a Group 1 victory since Glass Harmonium took out the 2011 edition of the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m), while he has only had one placing apiece in the Australian Guineas (Jokers Wild in 2007) and the Royal Randwick Guineas (Great Command in 1997).