Imported stayer Voleuse De Coeurs has returned to the Flemington stable of trainer Mike Moroney to begin preparations for the 2014 Melbourne Cup.
Voleuse De Coeurs won the 2013 Irish St Leger before being purchased by Eliza Park International and sent to Australia for the Melbourne Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Voleuse De Coeurs made her Australian racing debut with a credible tenth place finish in the 2013 edition of the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), but Moroney told Racing Victoria that the Teofilo mare will follow a more traditional path to this year’s event.
Moroney is yet to decide when Voleuse De Coeurs will return to the races, but he said that she will have the opportunity to build towards the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
“I think she’ll go the weight-for-age path toward the Cup,” Moroney said.
“It’s a possibility she could run in the Caulfield Cup, she will definitely be nominated and we’ll just see on what path we’ll take to the Melbourne Cup
“I think we’ll go a different path, 1400m or something first up and then give her that kind of a more traditional preparation.
“She will be nominated for all those big races and we’ll just see what path we’ll take”.
Voleuse De Coeurs started her maiden Australian autumn preparation with a credible fifth behind Fiorente in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 8, but she was slightly disappointing in the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 and was sent to the spelling paddock after finishing 12th in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m).
Moroney believes that the short break between her spring and autumn campaigns may have been the reason for Voleuse De Coeur’s subpar autumn preparation and he is hoping that she can return to her best form after relishing her stint away from the paddock.
“I just wonder whether the short break between the spring and the autumn and that tough run first up flattened her,” Moroney said.
“I just got a funny feeling that first up run might have just taken the edge off her and coming off a short break and that long travel might have just been too much for her.
“She spelled in Victoria, she had a nice break this time, and she had about seven-weeks out in the paddock.
“She’s back in the stable; she’s been back at Flemington about a month.”
“I wouldn’t say she’s packed it on again which is good because I was wondering whether she was getting too fat, but she has held her condition nicely,
“She’s got her winter coat now too which shows obviously that she’s acclimatising.”
Voleuse De Coeurs is currently available at 2014 Melbourne Cup odds of $34 in the betting market with Ladbrokes Australia, while she is priced at a quote of $41 in the 2014 Caulfield Cup betting market.
