Racing: Change of luck on cards for Moroney and Scott

It was a rare occurrence at Ellerslie on Boxing Day when Mike Moroney and Andrew Scott failed to win a race.

The Matamata trainers have made Boxing Day their day over the past two years, winning the New Zealand Derby with Cut The Cake and Xcellent.

Although the Derby has been switched to March the Moroney-Scott stable was still well-represented on Boxing Day.

The stable is quietly confident speedy 2-year-old Jokers Wild will give a good account of himself in today's The New Zealand Herald Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie.

Jokers Wild created a huge impression when finishing second behind Don Garcia in his race debut and followed that effort up with a gallant victory.

"We've got the barrier one draw this time at Ellerslie and if the track is hard and fast I'm certain he'll prove a real handful for the opposition," said Scott.

"I believe he has improved a lot since his last race and he has trained very well leading into this race. He'll handle any type of track but I know he'd be at his best when it's rock hard."

Don Garcia will start a hot favourite but there must still be some doubt about the fitness of the $1 million yearling purchase after a shock last-start defeat at Te Rapa. Trainer Mark Walker is confident the colt is back to full fitness. The Moroney-Scott stable will also start former NZ Derby winner Cut The Cake in the $200,000 City Of Auckland Cup.

Cut The Cake has looked lengths below his Derby winning form but a change in training routine could result in a better performance today.

"We've completely changed the training routine for Cut The Cake including jumping him and training him along the roadside grass verges to see if that'll sharpen him up," said Scott.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY