Everything is falling into place for Moriarty’s spring finale in the Group One Metropoitan with the six-year-old winning his lead-up at Randwick on Saturday.
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Trainer Chris Waller has deliberately aimed the Brisbane Cup winner’s preparation at Sydney’s spring staying feature.
He served notice with his sustained run from near last in the Group Two Hill Stakes (2000m) that the extra 400 metres in two weeks would be to his liking.
“He has been set for the Metropolitan,” Waller said.
“That is his race. We haven’t looked at the Caulfield Cup or anything like that.
“The Metrop is our Caulfield Cup and is the right race for him.”
Moriarty, the $2.80 favourite, overhauled Glencadam Gold ($5) to beat him by a length with Masked Marvel ($20) a head third after drifting to the outside fence despite Nick Hall’s efforts to keep him going in a straight line.
Racing NSW stewards placed a warning on the Lloyd Williams-owned Masked Marvel who will be tried with a lugging bit.
Moriarty is now the equal second favourite with the Gai Waterhouse-trained Ecuador at $6 with Prince Cheri heading the market at $5.
The David Vandyke-trained Prince Cheri won the Kingston Town Stakes last week and will not race again before the Metropolitan.
He assumed favouritism after Vandyke decided to bypass Caulfield Cup lead-up races in the hope a Metropolitan win would give Prince Cheri a weight penalty and get him into the Caulfield Cup field.