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Berry elects Moonee Valley classic for son of Savabeel

Jockey Tommy Berry has said he believes Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Mo’unga (Savabeel) should be aimed at the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) next season. 

Despite being drawn wide, Mo’unga finished an encouraging tenth in the Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) on April 10 and finished two and three quarter lengths behind Addeybb (Pivotal) in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Berry is tipping the colt to make his presence felt in the spring. 

“I’d say a Cox Plate,” Berry said on RSN when asked what race he could see Mo’unga compete in during the spring.

“That 2000 metres is his trip. He is still a big baby at the moment, still a bit raw around the edges. He seems to corner very well and he obviously has raced in Melbourne and performed very well there as well in the past.

“That would be his ideal race. He is a horse that’s going to keep improving.

“He’s had three grand finals this prep with the Doncaster, the Guineas and the Queen Elizabeth. He’s only been beaten 2.6 lengths from the world’s best.

“As a three-year-old, you have got to say my bloke is a very exciting horse for the future.

“This prep is really going to toughen him up as a race horse. He doesn’t exert himself too much at home and even in his races, he’s a laid back customer.”