Mo’unga ready to kick on in big Aussie races for All Blacks first- five

Mo’unga is a name sports fans were cheering long before the unbeaten horse of the same name, who is one of the leading chances for today’s Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.

Richie Mo’unga is a hero to many rugby- mad New Zealanders due to his deeds with the All Blacks.

He burst on to the scene around the same time a son of Savabeel and the O’Reilly mare Chandelier, who has All Blacks connections, was foaled at Waikato Stud, which made him easy to name.

Mo’unga has so far done his name justice, winning his only three starts: a 1400m 2- year- old Gold Coast maiden on June 12, a Newcastle BM64 over the same trip on August 22 and the Listed Dulcify Quality ( 1500m) at Rosehill three weeks later.

Mo’unga, the rugby player, now has even more reasons to want to see the horse win. He has become a listed owner in Mo’unga.

“We got chatting to Richie — who was honoured to have the horse named after him — and invited him into the ownership,” Aquis Farm’s Shane McGrath said.

“Richie and his wife Sophie, they’re ambassadors for the Child Cancer Foundation in New Zealand, so I spoke to the owners [ of Aquis], which is primarily Tony Fung and a couple of friends in Hong Kong, and we’re going to donate a percentage of his winning prizemoney to the Child Cancer Foundation in New Zealand.”