Mike Moroney is keeping his fingers crossed for a last-minute entry into Saturday’s Caulfield Cup as his imported galloper, Gregolimo, vies for the final spot in the coveted race on Wednesday.
Should Gregolimo secure a place in the final field by winning the 2000-meter Coongy Cup, he will gain a coveted exemption from the ballot for Saturday’s $5 million feature event, where he may join his stablemate, Emissary.
According to Moroney, “He’d have to do things right, and the jockey must be confident that this preparation can take him to a mile and a half (2400m) race. They can do it in England and that, and I’ve been putting in a fair amount of long work with him, so we’ll see how we go.”
While Gregolimo currently holds a modest 80 rating, he has left a strong impression on his trainer during his brief stint in Australia. His Australian debut in a BM78 over 1630m at Flemington last month was particularly noteworthy, despite an unfortunate run where he was blocked for a clear path. The horse’s odds were backed from $10 to $4 with bookmakers, suggesting the horse won’t be out of his depth if he can get entry into the Caulfield Cup field.
