Mosef to play it smart
MICHAEL Geaney has no doubt about the smarts of galloper Mosef. In fact he fears the four-year-old could be too smart.
“He is a very smart animal, he has outsmarted me a few times,” Geaney said. “He is a real thinker and he just has his own set of tricks. He has plenty of ability, he just has to put it together.”
The Coolmore gelding by American champion Uncle Mo has impressed in his five starts across the region but has failed to break through for a maiden.
Even when he was stepped up to a Class 1 in only his second start, it only increased the efforts of Mosef as he finished second in a photo finish behind Zabring.
But Geaney said it just depended on which Mosef turned up in the barriers.
“We have no concern over the (softness of the) ground, it just depends what Mo turns up,” Geaney said.
“If he turns up to be a racehorse, he will put them away with ease. He will win by 10 lengths.” Mosef will have his best chance of turning that form into glory at Cluden Park when he jumps from the inside barrier three in the Gracie Signs Maiden Plate over 1400m today.
To give him every chance of “waking up” on the track, Geaney has enlisted the services of wily veteran hoop Frankie Edwards.
Edwards has ridden Mosef’s track work for most of his time in North Queensland, patiently biding his time to get his chance in the saddle.
Interestingly Edwards has won three of the five races
Mosef has been other horses.
“Frankie has ridden track work on him in recent times, he knows him inside and out,” Geaney said.
“He had a few issues when they first rode out on track but he has him under control now. (Mosef) used to play up on the training track, if something new was there he would lose focus.
“But we have him under control. Now he is starting to come out of his shell, once he discovers he is a racehorse, he will put them to bed.” While in, just on the track has copped more than 250mm of rain across the past seven days, there is no concern about how the Cluden Park surface will hold up.
Townsville Turf Club track manager Jody Rodgers claimed the state-of-the-art drainage system had allowed the track to be rated only a soft (6) as late as last night.
“It has got a lovely cover, the track is beautiful,” Rodgers said yesterday.
The rail has been put out to 5.5 metres from the 1000m to the winning post and will be at 3.5m for the remainder.