3 minute read
Caulfield trainer John Moloney is enjoying his most successful season in a decade — something he says is due to a stable regeneration and a focus on youngsters from proven winning sires
Racing scribes love a good idiom when writing about in-form trainers and “flying” would be one that aptly describes the stable’s six-month performance. 
Since 1 August 2014, Moloney has been striking at 24% off a ten-season average of 13%.
We got caught with horses from a couple of disappointing sires,” Moloney says.
“We’ve now branched into bloodlines that are different from what we’d previously tried, for example, horses by Bel Esprit and Show A Heart.”
“They’re producing the progressive young gallopers that are becoming the backbone of our stable.
“Cool andBelflyer have now both won three races.
“The beauty of it is, they are not only winning but they can go further forward — which puts me and the stable in a good place."
When asked to “seed” the stable in terms of current ability Moloney said it was conversation they’d had around the stable in the last few days — “because we have these nice lot of three-year-olds”.
“Probably Sea Spray, Orient Line, Stingray, Belflyer and Cool, in that order… but that could change !! …
“They should all have good improvement in them … well… we’re hoping anyway.”
Moloney gave a strong wrap for his nephew — apprentice jockey Patrick Moloney. 
“Patrick has contributed greatly to the stable’s improvement because he’s there to ride track work and has an understanding of the horses.
“I don’t say he has to ride everything that goes around — and he’s not a senior rider — yet. But he’s certainly going the right way, and does have a claim, and he knows the horses that he’s on — which is important.
Another young rider — and one who has a high strike rate with the stable — is Damian Lane.
He’s very impressive,” Moloney says. “He’s a cool rider. He seems to come into gaps when most jockeys have trouble finding them. And he can get them into a gap and out of a gap quicker than most.
He’s just a good classy rider, and I rate him highly.
When asked if Lane comes down and does track work for the stable, Moloney chuckled.
“No, but he’ll need to if he wants to keep the rides. As I often say, sometimes the best gear change of all is the jockey change …you’ve got to keep them on there toes.”
Moloney has a couple of runners accepted in the next few days.
Scottish Arms resumes today (Thursday) at Sale and Moloney says they’ll probably be too quick for him and he’ll be happy if he finishes top six.
On Saturday Seattleite contests the eighth race at Flemington.
“He’s going well, but he coming up against tougher class and again I’d be happy if he finishes top six. I don’t think this pair will be improving out stats.”
