Former Kiwi galloper Gundown came from the rear of the field to land Thursday’s Moe Cup (2050m) in style, relishing the rain-softened conditions.

 

The five-year-old son of High Chaparral made the most of the worsening track conditions to power over the top of his rivals to score by a length and a quarter from Annarbor, with $26 chance Mr Clarify a half-neck back in third.

 

Now in the care of Michael Moroney at Flemington, the win in the A$150,000 feature was the first in three starts for his new conditioner, after commencing his career with Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in New Zealand.

 

Sporting the colours of prominent owner Lib Petagna, Gundown has now won four races and is placed at Group Two and Group Three level.

 

Moroney’s stable representative, Jack Turnbull, was thrilled to see the gelding achieve one of the goals they set for him so early in his campaign.

 

“Country cups were always going to be on his radar and thankfully we’ve ticked one off,” he said.

 

“He had the conditions to suit with the evident rainfall and it panned out really well.

 

“He’s shown good ability at home and he’s quite sharp for a horse that’s performed at two miles.” 

 

Bred by Raffles Farm, Gundown was sold by Trelawney Stud for $70,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, where he was snapped up by Lib Petagna’s bloodstock and racing manager Bruce Perry.

 

 

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will be keeping a close eye on Sydney as he gets his side ready for their quarter final World Cup match against Ireland on Saturday.

 

Hansen shares in the ownership of the Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip, who will contest the A$14 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.

 

"It's a highlight to have a horse running in a race like The Everest but there's not a lot I can do,” he said. 

 

“I can't ride him, I can't carry him, I can't train him - so it's just a matter of sitting back and enjoying that for what it is.” 

 

Nature Strip will jump from the outside barrier in the 12 horse field and has been installed as a $26 winning chance by TAB bookmakers.

 

New Zealand-bred galloper Beauty Generation will attempt to extend his winning sequence to 11 at Sha Tin on Sunday when he contests the Gr.2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m).

 

The dual Hong Kong horse of the year resumed with a winning performance in the Gr.3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) and is on track to attempt to win his third successive Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in December.

 

“He was slightly underdone the other week and he’s raring to go now,” trainer John Moore said.

 

“He was entitled to be tired at the end of the Celebration Cup because it was his first run and he wasn’t 100 percent fit. But he’s just too good.

 

“He worked on the turf on Thursday morning and my work rider Romain (Clavreul) was very pleased with him. 

 

“He said he’s fitter than he was first-up so again he’s the one to beat.”