Mike Moroney will continue to tinker with Alenquer’s gear as he strives to get the best out of his star recruit ahead of his Australian debut in Saturday’s $5 million All Star Mile at The Valley.
The Flemington horseman will apply a tongue tie when he works at The Valley on Tuesday after an ill-fated experiment in blinkers last week.
The son of Adlerflug wore headgear in a 1200-metre jumpout last Friday, finishing midfield, and Moroney is continuing his search for answers.
“I’m going to gallop him Tuesday at Moonee Valley without blinkers on, he’s already had one gallop there without them on, and just see what we make of it because he was disappointing (in the jumpout),” Moroney said.
“I’m going to put a tongue tie on him because he had a real blow and he’s fitter than that.
“To watch him you would say he blew out, and he appeared that way afterwards, but I’ve done the work with him.
“Maybe he swallowed his tongue or did something stupid, so I’ll put a tongue tie on him and just see.”
The short trip up Ascot Vale Rd will be of benefit regardless, with Moroney keen to give Alenquer as much experience as possible at The Valley ahead of Saturday’s 1600-metre weight-for-age event given his limited exposure to tracks of that nature.
The five-year-old, who was formerly trained by William Haggas in England, is used to spacious tracks with his standout win a victory in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh, having also won the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot and placed in the Grand Prix De Paris Longchamp.
“Because he’s an overseas horse, I think it’s big that he does work there because he’s not used to racing on those sort of tracks at all,” Moroney said.
“They’re used to racing on big tracks, he’s won at The Curragh and that’s a big open paddock, which is totally different to this sort of track.”