The well supported Michael Moroney trained Tinseltown has been too strong over the 3200m Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm racecourse beating home the gallant Smoking Chimneys and Raeburn.
Melbourne trainer Michael Moroney was rewarded for years of patience when veteran stayer Tinseltown won the $150,000 Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Moroney has always believed Tinseltown could win a two-mile (3200m) feature but the rising eight-year-old had failed at five previous attempts over the gruelling distance.
But with a big drop in class and given a beautiful ride by heavyweight New Zealand jockey Chad Ormsby, Tinseltown finally broke through and rewarded Moroney’s belief with a decisive win in Queensland’s only 3200m event.
“It’s good to see him win a two-miler, he’s been a bit unlucky in a few of them,” Moroney said.
“He’s not big and he lumped 58kg around today which is not easy for a small horse.
“He fell in a Sydney Cup and that was the most confident we’d been with him going into a two-mile race.
“But strangely enough, he’s probably at his best now, he didn’t start racing until he was four and he’s fully mature now.”
Tinseltown ($3.70) travelled like the winner throughout for Ormsby and the Pentire gelding finished powerfully in the straight to beat Smoking Chimneys ($8.50) by two lengths with Raeburn ($4.20) 1-3/4 lengths back third.
Ormsby allowed Tinseltown to stride forward, three deep, passing the halfway mark and said he was always confident the horse had the race in his keeping.
“He came out of the barrier really quick and travelled really well for me during the run,” Ormsby said.
“The pace was good in the first half of the race and I was happy with him.
“He was going that well he was actually clipping heels and that’s why I opted to go three deep at the 1200 metres and let him roll forward.”
Moroney said Tinseltown would now be spelled and nominated for the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups in the spring.
Persian Star started the $2.70 favourite but was off the bit a long way from home and struggled into fifth place, and rider Chris Munce offered no excuses.
“She’s probably had enough. I tried to get on the back of the winner going past the 800 metres and she was really struggling to keep up then,” Munce said.
AAP TURF
