The Chris Waller-trained Mo’unga turned heads with a stunning performance at Newcastle on Saturday which has resulted in the son of Savabeel being installed an early $8.50 favourite for the Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on October 10.
Unbeaten in two starts, Mo’unga came from the rear of the field in a Benchmark 64 1400m contest to comfortably account for fellow Spring Champion candidate Lion’s Roar, a son of Contributer, who is well regarded by John O’Shea.
Ridden by Lee Magorrian, Mo’unga sports the colours of Aquis, who purchased the colt for $325,000 out of the Waikato Stud draft from Book 1 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales.
“The instructions were to sit midfield and keep him out of trouble and I was trying my best to do that,” Magorrian said.
“It was a muddling-run race but when I got him to the outside and gave him a little click in the ear and asked him to go, he really let down well.
“He is a really laid-back horse. He is like a ten-year-old gelding going around and I was niggling at him at the 600m trying to get him onto the bridle, but once I gave him a tap down the shoulder he took off at a rate of knots.
“I nearly fell off the back of him. I haven’t had one let down that fast in a while.
“When I hit the front he pricked his ears, so there is still a bit there.”
The handsome colt broke maiden ranks as a late two-year-old at the Gold Coast over 1400m on a heavy track, but seems to handle all conditions.
Out of the O’Reilly mare Chandelier, who was runner-up in the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes (2100m), Mo’unga is another example of the successful Savabeel – O’Reilly cross, which has produced 14 stakes winners to date.
Magorrian believes a step up in distance will be no problem for the New Zealand-bred galloper, who is named after Kiwi rugby star Richie Mo’unga.
“He is by Savabeel and he is such a laid-back horse that he will stay all day,” he said.
“Looking at his win at the Gold Coast on a heavy track, he is very versatile. He can go on heavy or firm.
