Norsqui trained by Walter McShane and ridden by Chris Symonds has taken out today’s 2012 Mornington Cup at Mornington racecourse ahead of imported galloper Drunken Sailor who carried 60kg and Sea Galleon in third.
Tasmanian stayer Norsqui surprised even his trainer Walter McShane when he ran home strongly to claim an easy victory in the $300,000 Mornington Cup.
Norsqui winning the 2012 Centrebet Mornington Cup - Photo by Steven Dowden
Norsqui won the 2800m race at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day and was third in the 3200m Sandown Cup last spring before returning home to Tasmania.
McShane, who bred the Matsqui five-year-old gelding and stands the sire on his Broadmarsh property, gave him two lead-up runs at Hobart, one of them a six-length second to subsequent Group Three Hobart Cup winner Geegees Blackflash in the Summer Cup (2100m).
“Geegees Blackflash has been so dominant in Tasmania so we thought we’d give the Hobart and Launceston Cups a miss,” McShane said.
“We decided to try this one.
“He’s a tough horse. I thought he was too far back but he showed a better turn of foot than usual.
“It was a great thrill. I didn’t think we could do it but we had to try.”
McShane, who part races the gelding, intends to now aim him towards the Group Two Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on March 12.
Sent out at $26 Norsqui, ridden by Chris Symons, beat topweight Drunken Sailor ($9.50) by 2-1/2 lengths with Sea Galleon ($7) three-quarters of a length away third.
The Mornington Cup (2400m) winner gains automatic entry into the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October but McShane said he believed Norsqui was better placed at 3200m.
“He’s a two-miler,” he said.
Symons said he was delighted to win the race he regards as his home town Cup.
“My intention was to go forward but he didn’t have the early dash so I ended being a lot further back than I anticipated so that set it up for me,” he said.
“I had a nice cart into it. I trailed up behind Sea Galleon and he finished it off strongly.
“I was surprised when he hit the front, I thought he’d got there way too early.
“However he extended when I asked him to extend and he kept on finding the line.”
Power O’Raylee, chasing her sixth successive win, was sent out $2.80 favourite but was a well-beaten ninth after suffering early interference.
AAP TURF
