Mike Moroney is hoping a return to the winning list for his talented colt African Pulse can double as a send-off for his departing apprentice Harry Kasim at Flemington on Saturday.
Moroney has entrusted Kasim with the ride on African Pulse in John Colwell and Balwant Singh Handicap (1000m) on what is likely to be the rider’s last day’s racing in Australia.
Kasim rode for Moroney in New Zealand and joined the stable in Melbourne earlier this year and moves on to Singapore after this weekend.
As well as African Pulse, Moroney has Kasim on the similarly well-fancied Noble Park in the John Cowl and Paul Grace Handicap (1710m).
“It’d be great to send him off with a winner,” Moroney said.
“Both his rides are in with a good chance.”
Kasim is yet to land a winner in Melbourne, but has ridden 87 in a career that began in Malaysia and is to continue in the stable of Stephen Burridge, the former Melbourne jockey who is now one of Singapore’s leading trainers.
For Moroney, the 3kg allowance that will bring African Pulse in with 57kg is a large part of the attraction in putting Kasim on the horse which holds favouritism in early markets.
“We had him ready a couple of weeks ago but we had to scratch him because he had an elevated temperature,” Moroney said.
“With 60kg he would have found it tough, but Harry’s claim brings him into the race.”
African Pulse hasn’t raced since finishing fifth in the Gosford Guineas (1200m) last April and before that was a good fourth behind Hallowell Belle in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes at Rosehill.
But the four-year-old has a perfect first up record and Moroney believes he will maintain it over a course and distance that should suit ideally.
The focus of heavy backing at his last start when second to Prince Of Capers over 1600m at Flemington, Noble Park is again in the market, despite a wide draw on a track rated a heavy eight on Friday.
