Three-year-old Marwood gets the chance to confirm big-race ambitions on Sunday at the corresponding meeting where his mother claimed her biggest success more than a decade ago.
Marwood steps up to stakes company for the first time in the Group Three Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) having shown himself to be a horse on the rise with two easy wins at the provincials.
Marwood’s dam Pernod was a Group One winner and scored her elite level victory in 2002 in the race now known as the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is the feature event on Sunday’s Caulfield card but Marwood’s trainer Mike Moroney hopes the three-year-old can play a starring role on the undercard.
Moroney believes Marwood – who is already on the third line of Caulfield Guineas betting – is capable of stamping himself as a real Guineas threat with his performance in the Prelude.
“I think he’s a pretty good horse,” Moroney said.
“He’s improving all the time. There’s two or three with the score on the board already but of the ones who haven’t proven themselves yet, I think we’re probably the one that’s capable of doing it.”
Moroney also trained Pernod and says there are similarities between mother and son.
“Pernod was a very, very talented mare but she didn’t have the best front legs,” Moroney said.
“She was also very good when it rained but I trained her through a drought. If there was a shower of rain she was almost unbeatable.
“He (Marwood) looks like he’s got her talent and he’s got better front legs.”
Marwood’s opposition on Sunday includes Guineas favourite Long John, Group One winner Romantic Touch, McNeil Stakes winner Fast `n’ Rocking and Group Two Danehill Stakes winner Charlie Boy.
Long John is $3.80 favourite in an early market ahead of Marwood at $4.20.
Marwood was scratched from the Henry Bucks Stakes earlier this month because of a wide barrier.
Instead he went to a restricted race at Bendigo a day later, settled fifth in the run and sprinted away to win by 4-1/2 lengths.
Nick Hall retains the ride and Moroney said the jockey was a fan of Marwood.
“He was pretty convinced, as he said in his post-race interview last start, that he’s the real deal. Hopefully he’s right.”
