Jockey Michael Cahill believes Morendi has already shown he is more than a one-track wonder and can win his first stakes race when he runs at Doomben.
Morendi, who lines up in Saturday’s Group Three Chairman’s Hcp (2000m) has shown an affinity for the Eagle Farm surface with three wins, a second, third and fourth from six starts on the track which has brought problems for some horses since it was opened a year ago.
Cahill and Murwillumbah trainer Darren Graham are hoping Morendi can measure up to the top Group staying races in the winter.
He showed outstanding potential at his most recent start when he came from last to win an open handicap at Eagle Farm over 2222m.
“At one stage he was last and I was hard at him but he picked up and he mowed them down in the straight,” Cahill said.
While Morendi is considered a duffer on most wet tracks he has won and been placed in soft going at Eagle Farm.
But Cahill pointed out Morendi also raced well at Doomben at his only start there.
“He won his first open company race at his only start at Doomben, two runs back and handled the track,” Cahill said.
A cheap buy from a Patinack Farm dispersal sale, Morendi has won seven races for Graham and $222,000 prize money.
