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Savabeel colt to set to run in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Trainer Annabel Neasham is hoping Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) Mo'unga (Savabeel) can snare a shock win in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick on Saturday. 

The race has been dubbed a two-horse clash between last year’s winner Addeybb (Pivotal) and multiple Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (Zed), but Neasham is confident the drying ground in Sydney gives the son of Savabeel (Zabeel) a legitimate chance in the Group 1. 

Mo'unga will be ridden by Tommy Berry from barrier seven and is a $13 chance with Sportsbet.

"Tommy Berry is adamant he is better on top of the ground and I think his form suggests that he can show his turn of foot better," Neasham told Racing.com. 

"The firmer the ground, the better for us because more of those well-fancied horses prefer getting their toe in.

"We'd love to cause an upset. I'm under no illusion the top three in the market are going to be mightily hard to beat.

"It's going to be an exciting race. He is the only three-year-old in the race. If he can put in a career-best performance then hopefully he is in the frame."

Mo'unga steps back up to 2000 metres after competing in the Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) last Saturday and Neasham said he had come through the run well and would excel back up in distance.

"He feels good, he had a couple of days in the paddock and came back into the stable (Monday) night," she said.

"I took him for a ride (Tuesday) morning and he's pretty bright and well. He is certainly pleasing me.

"Back up to the 2000 metres in a smaller field, he's not going to be too far away from them. He still closed off really well in the Doncaster, loved the way he hit the line.

"But he certainly ran like he needed to stick at the 2000 metres."