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

Oaks Day glory for Waikato Stud-bred Sulek

Waikato Stud enjoyed a special moment on Oaks Day at Flemington on Thursday, when the New Zealand-bred gelding Sulek – by Super Seth out the O’Reilly mare Tiff And Co, saluted on one of the biggest days of the racing calendar and in front of an international crowd. Bred by the farm in partnership with the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, Sulek took out the A$500,000 Cirka Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) for the third and most lucrative win of his career.

5 November 2026

The Corner with Garry Chittick

And so, another Melbourne Cup has been run. Regretfully, Mary and I were not there. I have no idea how many we attended up until COVID, and I miss the Cup week. Victoria prides itself as the sporting capital of Australia; it may be, they certainly know how to create an event.