A return to Melbourne could be the spark Wall Street needs to reinvigorate his career following lacklustre autumn and winter campaigns.
The eight-year-old will resume at Caulfield on Saturday in the Group Two Memsie Stakes (1400m) which has attracted a quality field of 15 including Cox Plate placegetter Rekindled Interest and Caulfield Cup runner-up Green Moon.
The eight-year-old will resume at Caulfield on Saturday in the Group Two Memsie Stakes - Photo by Steve Hart
Wall Street has gone winless since he claimed the Group One Emirates Stakes in the spring of 2010 but he has run some cracking races in between.
He was fourth in both the Toorak Handicap and Cox Plate last year and third in the Blamey Stakes at Flemington in March.
He didn’t show the same dash in Sydney where he was unplaced in two autumn runs, or in Brisbane where he made little impact in either the Hollindale Stakes or Doomben Cup.
Trainer Mike Moroney is starting to wonder whether the gelding reserves his best for the left-handed direction of racing.
“He had poor winter form, there’s no doubt about that,” Moroney said.
“But it may be that he doesn’t fire right-handed.
“I’d be disappointed if he didn’t do something on Saturday.”
Wall Street has a fair record fresh with a win and two placings from six first-up runs and he has drawn well in gate two.
He is rated a $17 chance for the Memsie with TAB Sportsbet which has West Australian Luckygray favourite at $4.
The Railway Stakes winner was also popular with punters at his Victorian debut in the P B Lawrence Stakes but struggled at his first attempt on a heavy track when fourth to Second Effort.
Meanwhile, Sydney trainer Clarry Conners has sent Dee’N’Gee south for Saturday’s Theshark.com.au Stakes (1100m) due to a lack of suitable alternatives closer to home.
He was considering starting the gelding in the Concorde Stakes over the same distance at Warwick Farm seven days later but already has stablemate Satin Shoes headed to that race.
“This race was easier. The best sprinters in NSW will be in the Concorde,” Conners said.
Dee’N’Gee surged through the grades earlier this year and has built an imposing record with seven wins from 14 starts.
His only attempt at stakes level was in the Listed Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at his final autumn run when he finished a creditable fourth to Tiger Tees.
The Moroney-trained African Pulse will be among Dee’N’Gee’s rivals on Saturday after he was scratched from Moonee Valley last week due to a wide gate.
