3 minute read

Trainer Mike Moroney is looking to Emissary repeating the performance of his former Melbourne Cup winner Brew.

Trainer Mike Moroney says winning the Melbourne Cup is a life changing experience. 

Brew gave Moroney his solitary Cup win in 2000, ironically on the same date that the 2023 Melbourne Cup will be run – November 7. 

A year ago, Moroney thought he was going to collect that second trophy in Australia's greatest race, only to be denied by Gold Trip. 

Prior to Brew's success, that gelding had finished tenth behind Rogan Josh in 1999, finishing the race on tired legs which Moroney said also told late on Emissary last year. 

 "You don't like to go the early crow, but I thought he was going to give me my second Melbourne Cup when he moved into it and was going to run past Gold Trip," Moroney said. 

"But Gold Trip came out towards us, and they fought it out, but our bloke got on tired legs a bit late, a bit like Brew. 

"The second time Brew run in the Cup, he won it, so I'm hoping it will be the same thing this year." 

Emissary is one of three horses Moroney has entered in this year's Cup, joined in the nominations, which closed on Tuesday, by fellow imports Alenquer and Gregolimo. 

Moroney is going to follow a similar path to the Cup as he did with Emissary last year. 

He kicked off his campaign in the Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield last Saturday and will progress to Naturalism Stakes (2000m) and onto the Herbert Power Stakes (2400m). 

The one notable exception will be Emissary will bypass the Geelong Cup (2400m), a race he won last year, for the Caulfield Cup (2400m). 

"I think he's as well as he was last year," Moroney said. 

"He was a bit disappointing in the early summer and the short break just told on him. 

"He loomed in the Australian Cup but didn't round it off, and the spring was always our main aim, so we decided to put him away and give him a long, nice break. 

"I think he appreciated that, and he kicked off in the Heatherlie. 

"Last year he won with 54 kilo and this time he had 59 kilos. He was three-wide the trip and we were happy enough with the run. 

"With those aspects of the weight and the wide run, we thought it was a nice run." 

French-bred Alenquer had two runs for Moroney in the autumn, but failed to fire, with the trainer calling for the galloper to be gelded. 

"He wasn't trying too hard in his two runs for us, but he's undergone the ultimate gear change, and it seems to have worked on him," Moroney said. 

Fellow French-bred Gregolino is yet to race in Australia, and Moroney said on what he is showing he may be a Caulfield Cup type rather than a Melbourne Cup horse.