Racing: Moroney confident of second Derby win

MELBOURNE - It may be a case of out of sight out of mind for many, but transtasman trainer Mike Moroney wouldn't change anything going into the Victoria Derby with Monaco Consul.

Moroney is defying convention with the High Chaparral colt who will contest the 2500m classic on Saturday without having raced since winning the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick a month ago.

Traditionally, Derby winners have a more seasoning campaign, with every one of them in the past 25 years having raced within a fortnight of the big day. Moroney said he was following a similar formula to four years ago when Xcellent won the New Zealand Derby at only his third start and with 29 days between runs.

"Xcellent hadn't run for more than four weeks and that's the way we tend to approach it with the 3-year-olds at pre-Christmas.

"They are only young stayers, still pretty immature, so we don't want to overtax them."

Monaco Consul arrived from Sydney the Sunday after the Spring Champion Stakes and Moroney said he progressed well. "He hasn't missed an oat.

"He has eaten everything and hasn't put a foot wrong."

Moroney won the 1997 Victoria Derby with $26 chance Second Coming, who backed up a week after finishing third in the AAMI Vase (2040m) at Moonee Valley.

"Second Coming was a real out-and-out stayer but this horse has a bit more class and brilliance about him at this stage," Moroney said.

"We think he will be competitive back to a mile in the autumn."

Monaco Consul cost only $80,000 as a yearling and is by the same sire as Cox Plate winner So You Think from unraced Star Way mare Argante. Her half brother Military Plume was placed in Perth's Australian Derby and West Australian Derby.

Monaco Consul, who will be ridden by Corey Brown, is safe in the betting markets and TAB Sportsbet quoted him on Monday at $7.

Meanwhile, David Hayes is upbeat about Extra Zero ($12) after he raced wide and finished fifth in the AAMI Vase at Moonee Valley last Saturday.

"If he draws well, I'll be confident."

He said it was an open Derby with a lot of good up-and-coming horses but Extra Zero had been trained for it.

"Normally it's a race in two, this year I think it's a race in four or five."

Sydney trainer John Thompson's greatest concern with talented colts Onemorenomore and Gathering is getting them to settle to run out the 2500m.

Onemorenomore and Gathering ran second and third to Derby favourite Shamoline Warrior in the Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day after over-racing in first and second positions respectively.

"My two horses, they beat each other, they got six lengths out in front of the field. So if they don't go silly like that again there is a chance they could turn it around."

- AAP