Prince Of Wales Gets Wrap From Trainer
- Thursday, 26 November 2009 05:59
Trainer Paul Moroney has sounded an ominous warning to rivals of Levin Classic favourite Prince Of Wales at Otaki on Friday.
"This horse is definitely of Altered Image's class and potentially higher," Moroney said.
Altered Image won the $NZ200,000 Group One Levin Classic (1600m) for Moroney and his brother Mike by more than three lengths last year.
"Altered Image's win was probably the most dominant performance in a three-year-old race last year - I am not saying he was the best three-year-old in the country, but he set a race record and was clearly superior on the day," Moroney said.
Prince Of Wales, who won two out of three as a juvenile, put away a tidy field in a three-year-old race over 1400m at Tauranga on November 14, including the well-regarded Finderskeepers.
That win has given Moroney plenty of confidence for the Levin Classic.
"We believe we have got the best horse in the race and we believe we have him 100 per cent and that he has found some more since Tauranga," he said.
The Bachelor Duke colt steps up 200m in distance but Moroney believed his effort to win at Tauranga when coming from well off the pace dispelled any question mark over the 1600m.
"He also has the draw where he can get an economical trip, though the one barrier can potentially be a hazard sometimes. That will be for (jockey) Craig Grylls to overcome," Moroney said.
Grylls will be out to achieve his first Group One win for Ballymore Stables with their previous best effort being the Group Three Rotorua Cup on Tinseltown in May when he was still an apprentice.
"He's now a fully-fledged jockey and is driving from Te Awamutu three to four mornings a week to ride trackwork at Matamata for us," Moroney said.
"He's developing a good rapport with the horses and everyone in the system as well."
The TAB has Prince Of Wales as $2.80 favourite for Friday's race, well clear of The Hombre ($7.50) and St Germaine and the promising Zarzuela on $8.
