Moroney’s G1 Thousand Guineas countdown almost over

No one is happier than Mike Moroney that the $1.5 million Group 1 Thousand Guineas is now just days away.

The Flemington trainer has Coeur Volante heading towards the $1.5 million Group 1, with the filly having not started since winning the Thousand Guineas Prelude on October 21.

Moroney concedes it has been a juggling act keeping her at the top of her game and he elected to do that at home rather than another trip to the races, a decision he is comfortable with.

“It has been a bit of a job to keep her up, because she only had a short break in the winter and it was right in the middle of winter, too,” Moroney said.

“But she seems really good. She’s put on nice weight and looks well.”

Coeur Volante made her debut over 1000m at Sandown on May 27, finishing fourth, before winning a 1300m race at the same track on June 14.

The daughter of Proisir was then spelled before a first-up win in the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) at The Valley ahead of her Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) win.

Those two Group events secured her place towards the head of Thousand Guineas betting, but Moroney said his attention turned towards the 1600m Thousand Guineas after her maiden win.

“As soon as she won that race over 1300 we decided this was the right race for her, so we put her out,” Moroney said.

“We mapped out a bit of a plan and it was just a matter of whether we gave her a run in between, but the first two races went to script.

“Whatever she does now she’s going to be better in the autumn, but she’s quite naturally-gifted obviously and we’re looking forward to the race.”

The Thousand Guineas is one of two Group 1s to be run at Caulfield this Saturday with Moroney to be represented in the $1 million Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) by rejuvenated track specialist Buffalo River and Not An Option.