Mike Moroney has always held lofty ambitions for Yesterday’s Songs and the trainer is hoping the sprinter-miler fulfils that potential this spring.
The five-year-old resumes from a nine-week let-up in Saturday’s Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield and Moroney is looking towards Group One handicaps with the gelding later this campaign.
Yesterday’s Songs has won four of his 10 starts but is yet to win in stakes company having finished second in the Group Three McKay Stakes and midfield in the Group One Goodwood in Adelaide in May in his only stakes appearances.
The son of Henrythenavigator was given a short break after winning a 1400m open handicap at Flemington in June.
Connections decided not to go to the Winter Championship Final last month with Yesterday’s Songs to instead concentrate on giving the gelding his chance at spring carnival races.
Yesterday’s Songs had three weeks where he was boxed at night and spent the days in a paddock before returning to work.
“He came back in looking terrific,” Moroney said.
“He’s had one jumpout and went really well and he had a nice gallop on Wednesday morning. He seems to be going really well.”
Yesterday’s Songs is equal favourite for the Regal Roller.
Moroney is aiming Yesterday’s Songs towards the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 26.
The trainer won the race with Pernod in 2002.
“From there we’ll work out what we do, whether we step him up to a mile and have a go at the Toorak Handicap and the Emirates Stakes or come back in distance for sprints up the straight,” Moroney said.
“We’ve always thought he was up to Group level. His run in The Goodwood was very good from last,” he said.
“He just didn’t show any speed at all which surprised us, but his sectionals were terrific.
“We think he’s up to a Group One handicap.”
