Racing: Another lucky day looms for Moraitis and Cassidy

Photo / Richard Robinson

SYDNEY - Lightly raced stayer Maluckyday produced a dominant win at Randwick on Saturday to keep his Melbourne Cup dream alive.

Maluckyday raced to a 4-length win in the listed City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) to pass the first qualifying clause for the Melbourne Cup.

His jockey, owner and trainer all believe he has the makings of a Cups horse and it is now just a case of whether they head south to try to earn him a place this year, or if they wait another 12 months.

"I would love to have another Melbourne Cup runner, but I never tell my trainer what to do," owner Nick Moraitis said.

"According to Jim [Cassidy], he thinks this horse could be something special and I sincerely hope he is."

Moraitis and Cassidy are no strangers to Cup glory together, with Moraitis being the owner of champion Might And Power, who won the 1997 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups with Cassidy in the saddle.

Michael Hawkes, who trains Maluckyday in partnership with father John and brother Wayne, said the 4-year-old was the most promising stayer to come through their stable "for a long time".

"It all depends on how he pulls up now," Hawkes said on Saturday.

"He may end up in the paddock but he may end up in Melbourne.

"It was only a small field today and the quality might not have been there, but we're a young stayer on the way up too and he had a bit to prove today.

"He had to run a genuine 2400m, and we elected to bypass the Metropolitan for this race.

"We could've taken on the group one horses in the Metrop but elected to wait for this race and he's come through with flying colours.

"He's passed Clause A [for the Melbourne Cup] now."

Cassidy had Maluckyday in behind the speed in the seven-horse field with The Paymaster setting the tempo.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Kontiki Park hit the front at the top of the straight but Cassidy knew what he had under him and when Maluckyday balanced up he quickly put the race beyond doubt and surged away from Kontiki Park.

Legsman was another five lengths away third.

"He's the real deal," Cassidy said.

"He's just doing everything right and you can't ask him to do more than that. If he goes to Melbourne I will be going with him, don't worry about that."

The son of Zabeel has now won four of his seven starts and has never missed a place.

Should he head to Melbourne, Hawkes said the Lexus Quality (2500m) on October 30 was an option.

- AAP