Barthelona keeps record intact at Sandown
Trainer Mike Moroney is looking to a bigger spring picture following the win of Barthelona at Sandown.
The half-brother to Group One winning sprinter Under The Louvre, Barthelona kept his winning record intact as the $3.90 favourite in Wednesday’s Grand Hotel Frankston Plate (1000m).
Ridden by Ryan Maloney, Barthelona scored by 2-3/4 lengths from Tris ($8.50) with Violate ($9) three-quarters of a length away third.
Moroney had high hopes for Barthelona as a two-year-old and even considered him as the stable’s Blue Diamond hope.
He sent the colt to Sydney with the Inglis Classic in mind but took him back to Melbourne after a trial.
“Kerrin McEvoy trialled him and said `take him back home, he’s not strong enough’, so we put him out and he came back in the autumn,” Moroney said.
Barthelona scored a Bendigo maiden win in May before another spell.
“He still looks a bit babyish,” Moroney said.
“I think we did the right thing in putting him away as he wasn’t that overly strong but still won his maiden really well.
“He’s come back better and I think he’s got a bit of a future as a sprinter.”
Moroney said Wednesday’s race had some strong form lines and he would see how the three-year-old pulled up before setting his sights higher.
Moroney’s brother Paul paid $50,000 for Barthelona.
“He was pretty small but we both thought he was big enough,” Moroney said.
“After we bought him some of the guys from Under The Louvre wanted a share in him and came in on him.”
Maloney has had an association with Under The Louvre and said the two half-brothers have similar characteristics.
“I’ve done a fair bit of trackwork on Under The Louvre,” Maloney said.
“And this one, he’s exactly the same. He’s very switched on.
“He’s only a pony but he’s in for a good career.