Listed win puts Merion in G1 Caulfield Guineas Picture

15 September 2014

Merion (NZ) (O’Reilly) lowered the colours of boom colt Chivalry (Street Cry) by the barest of margins at Flemington to put himself in the G1 Caulfield Guineas picture.

The Mike Moroney-trained Merion, who is tracking the same path towards the Caulfield Guineas as last year’s winner Long John (Street Cry), held off favourite Chivalry by a nose in Saturday’s Living Legends Stakes.

It justified Moroney’s opinion of Merion, who is likely to head to the Caulfield Guineas Prelude before the Caulfield Guineas.

Merion is at $10 on the third line of Guineas betting with Chivalry remaining the $5 favourite.

Merion won the same maiden and Listed Anzac Day Stakes as Long John as a two-year-old and has returned at three years to win the same Listed race second-up.

“We did study that a bit,” Moroney said.

“It was a fork in the road for him today. We always knew we had a really smart horse.

“He’s got a lot of improvement left in him but he’s a serious horse.”

Steven Arnold had Merion just behind the speed before making his run in the straight on Merion.

He hit the front passing the 200m before Chivalry made his move from behind him to challenge strongly.

Source: NZTM

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