His “quirky” demeanor means he is a real handful – at times almost impossible to ride. But it is that personality which, according to his Tamworth trainer, Cody Morgan, makes him such a fierce competitor.
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And on Saturday at Warwick Farm, that will to win propelled Moobi – a six-year-old gelding who almost died after being kicked by another horse – to his first city win, in the TAB Highway Handicap (1600 metres). The achievement, the horse’s third straight victory, was worth $35,250.
With Greg Ryan again on board, Moobi edged the Danny Williams-trained Hemmerle (James McDonald). The Warren Ganderton-trained Saarim (Brock Ryan) was a further 1.4m away in third place. Moobi paid $4.40 for the win.
It was Morgan’s second metropolitan triumph, after Bulls ‘n’ Bears’ Highway Handicap victory in October, 2015.
The early signs of Moobi repaying Morgan’s pre-race confidence in the horse were not good. “He’s had five runs this preparation, and he paraded probably the worst he has this preparation,” the trainer said. “He paraded like he needs a little break. So I was a little nervous then.
“Once I saw him on the big screen behind the barrier, he seemed to have relaxed a bit. I was a bit more confident. And he was following a horse that wasn’t going anywhere at the 700 [metre mark] and ended up in a tricky position.”
“But, look, pretty simple: when he came off the bit at the top of the straight, you’re normally pretty worried,” Morgan added. “If you’re at Armidale with a mediocre horse, it’s normally when you look away, and they’re not gonna do any good.
“But today … I knew he wouldn’t give in. And then he got in a really good fight with the second horse [Hemmerle] and, yeah, he really fought hard and was too good.
“But look, I don’t think I can take too much of the praise. I think he’s just a really good horse, and I’m lucky to be training him at the moment.”
Handed Moobi by his Scone-based owner, Michael Parkinson, after the horse recovered from the kick to his hock that resulted in an 82-week spell, Morgan has been gifted what he regards as one of the best horses he has handled and a genuine Country Championships contender.
Repaying the faith Parkinson, a former Scone trainer, had placed in him was what gave him most satisfaction, he said. Parkinson and his wife, Beverley, have had the horse since he was a foal. Morgan savoured seeing “the joy” on their faces after Saturday’s race. “They were over the moon,” he said.
He added: “Like, that horse had nearly two years off, or 18 months, sitting in a paddock. And to win three in a row, win a city race and be one of the favourites for the Country Championships going forward – that side of it is a great thrill.
“Hopefully we get him home tonight [Saturday] and he pulls up well,” Morgan added. “The Country Championships are now firmly on my mind with him.”
Moobi will be spelled now, returning for the Hunter and North West Country Championships qualifier (1400m) at Tamworth on March 10, with the aim of qualifying for the final at Royal Randwick on April 6
Moobi has fours wins and a third from eight starts, for more than $78,000 in prize money. He has undergone quite a transformation. Morgan’s younger brother and fellow trainer, Luke, a former champion saddle-bronc rider, “sorted” Moobi out before the horse made his debut for Morgan, in placing second at a trial at Muswellbrook on September 26.
In the horse’s first two races under Morgan, he finished third and fifth at Muswellbrook, before two consecutive wins at Scone and then the Highway statement. Morgan praised the calming effect his strapper, Nevada Mansfield, had on the horse pre-race on Saturday, saying she had to “walk him for hours”.
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“He’s just got a real mind of his own,” Morgan said. “Apparently the breed are known to be like that – quite fiery. I didn’t want anyone else strapping the horse, because she knows him really well. And then Greg’s ridden him in every start he’s had; I think that helps.
“But he’s not easy. Like I rode him on Thursday, and it’s still a job to stay on him, to be honest. If he’s as hard work as he is and he wasn’t much good, he would of been gone by now. Because he’s not easy, but he’s got a real will to win.”
Another Morgan-trained horse, Anchois, finished second in the Highway Handicap at Randwick the previous Saturday. “He’s [Moobi] just a better horse,” Morgan said. “The other horse goes good, but this fella’s just a bit better horse, and we got just a bit better result – second to first.”
