Racing: Confidence growing as Xcellent steps up gear for Cox Plate bid

MELBOURNE - Transtasman trainer Mike Moroney is sounding more bullish about the chances of his New Zealand star Xcellent the closer it gets to Saturday's clash with Makybe Diva in the Cox Plate.

Xcellent worked in sparkling fashion at the "breakfast with the best" gallops at the Cox Plate venue of Moonee Valley in Melbourne yesterday.

Three hours later, Moroney was unperturbed about Xcellent's barrier draw of 13 out of 14 runners and suggested jockey Michael Coleman would take matters into his own hands if the pace in the weight-for-age classic was too slow.

"If they want to loiter, we won't be against taking off," Moroney told reporters after the draw.

That could mean a Bonecrusher-Waverley Star like battle with Australian racing's queen Makybe Diva developing 800m out or further.

On Monday, Moroney told the Australian he thought Xcellent could give Makybe Diva a start and beat her in the A$3 million ($3.26 million) race.

"We're going in pretty open-minded, knowing that Makybe Diva is very good, but we know we're very good as well," Moroney told the newspaper.

"We're confident we've got the best horse - that's how we beat her. Xcellent has got no gate speed at all, so I'd be surprised if we were in front of her early, anyway."

Makybe Diva yesterday drew barrier four and while she usually gets back in her races, she is likely to be further forward than Xcellent early in the race.

As to a sudden move forward if the pace is slow, Moroney told Radio 2KY he had watched Savabeel win last year's Cox Plate from a handy position in the field.

"We are well aware and I think Makybe Diva's camp are as well, if the pace is a crawl ... there are other runners in the race and we have got to make sure they don't steal it on us."

If it was not a true pace, the decision about what to do would be left in Coleman's hands, Moroney said.

Coleman reported to Moroney that Xcellent felt "bright and sparky" and couldn't fault him in his work yesterday.

Xcellent, who has won four group one events from just seven starts overall, worked solo with the markers out 12m from the rail.

He was timed over 1600m in one minute 51.19 seconds, coming home his last 400m in 25.43secs.

Said Coleman: "He worked very nicely and I was pleased with the way he handled the track. I'm looking forward to Saturday."

Coleman has a lot of respect for Makybe Diva but doesn't think she's unbeatable in the Cox Plate.

"She's a great mare and the one we all have got to beat but this horse has a great turn of foot," Coleman said.

"It's going to be a great race."

Back in New Zealand, Paul Moroney, who manages the syndicate which owns Xcellent, said he got a lift speaking to his brother Mike and Coleman after trackwork yesterday.

Paul Moroney told NZPA: "When the jockey hops off and tells you the horse feels bang on, you get a good feeling about it."

Paul Moroney said the positive nature of his brother's comments represented just how strongly the trainer felt about Xcellent's ability.

"He's fairly conservative by nature and I haven't heard him as bullish about a horse ever."

Xcellent was yesterday on the fourth line of betting with the Queensland TAB at $11 and the third line of betting with the New South Wales TAB at $9.

The New Zealand TAB had Xcellent as a $6 second favourite for the Cox Plate.

Makybe Diva was a $2.20 favourite on the New South Wales TAB ahead of God's Own a way back at $7.50.

- NZPA