The racing career for German-bred import Sound may be drawing to a close, but his trainer Mike Moroney believes the stayer is racing as well as ever.
Sound ruined the farewell of jockey Glen Boss by claiming a second win in the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m), this year at Caulfield on Saturday, after claiming the race at Sandown last year.
Under the guidance of Jamie Mott, Sound ($20) scored a half-length win from Dr Drill ($26) with Wentwood ($31) three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
Sound came to Australia for the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival and ran in both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup, as he did the following year.
However, prior to Saturday’s victory, Sound had registered only one win from 28 starts in Australia and New Zealand.
“Nine-years-old and probably racing at his best,” Moroney said post-race.
“These staying bred horses, German horses in particular, they’ve got longevity in their legs without any doubt, and he’s done a great job.
“He has been a bit maligned as being a bridesmaid, but he got it right today and he’s now won $1.8 million in prize money.”
Moroney hopes to find a home at stud in New Zealand once Sound’s racing days are over.
But before that, Moroney said Sound may back up in next week’s Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) before again heading across the Tasman to run in the Auckland Cup.
“He’s hopefully going to find a stud in New Zealand, we’re hoping anyway,” Moroney said.
“It is a good place to breed nice stayers and they are renowned for doing it.
“He’d be the right sort of horse in the right home.”
“He’ll probably go back to the Auckland Cup at this stage but we might back him up in the Pakenham Cup next week,” Moroney said.
“We’ll see how he pulls up.”