Trainer Mike Moroney is warming to Wall Street breaking his hoodoo on right-handed tracks in the Group Two Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast.
Moroney has dismissed Wall Street’s last start failure in the Group One Doncaster Mile and expects a strong showing from the seven-year-old if he brings his A-grade form to Queensland in Saturday’s 1800-metre weight-for-age feature.
Moroney won’t be at the Gold Coast as he’ll be in Adelaide saddling up Sabrage in the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville.
Wall Street will be in the care of foreperson Shiree Knowles, the granddaughter of former Kiwi trainer Trevor Knowles who won the 1960 Melbourne Cup with Hi Jinx.
Ironically, Moroney’s grandparents also bred Hi Jinx.
Moroney blames himself for Wall Street’s dismal performance when he beat only one runner home in last month’s Doncaster won by More Joyous.
“I made a blue by putting blinkers on him for the Doncaster but he pulled his head off,” Moroney said.
“They’re coming off for the Hollindale and I’m expecting him to go a lot better.
“He’s never won right-handed but if he can find his best form he’ll be very hard to beat.”
Moroney is perplexed as to why Wall Street saves his best form for left-handed tracks.
“Oly (Damien Oliver) has been riding him lately and he can’t find a reason why he doesn’t seem to race at his best right-handed,” Moroney said.
“He doesn’t get on the wrong leg or anything like that. It’s just one of those things.”
Wall Street has only had four starts for Moroney this time around after the gelding was transferred from New Zealand trainer Jeff Lynds.
“He originally started off with me as a three-year-old before he bowed a tendon,” Moroney said.
“He had 12 months off after that and was doing a lot of beach work and when he was ready to start back Jeff (Lynds) trained him in New Zealand.
“He might be seven but he’s only lightly raced.”
Wall Street, who has won 11 of his 32 starts, will be striving to give Moroney his first Hollindale Stakes win ahead of his winter campaign.
Moroney finished second with Glass Harmonium in last year’s Hollindale won by My Kingdom Of Fife.
“He’s up there for the Doomben Cup and then the O’Shea Stakes,” he said.
“I’ll see how he goes in these three races before we make a decision about the Brisbane Cup.”
Moroney is chasing his second Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 19 following his success with Sarrera in 2008.
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