Moran looking for one run with speedy Honolua Bay

It looks as though we can rule out Honolua Bay (Somebeachsomewhere) from the early speed battle as top harness racing reinsman David Moran suggests his best chance at claiming a second Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup is to save his charge for one run at the end of Saturday night’s 2760m journey.

Moran, who piloted the great Lochinvar Art to victory in Australia’s heavyweight championship during 2021, said barrier four was a good draw for the Emma Stewart-trained six-year-old.

He will start outside Spirit Of St Louis (one), Torrid Saint (two) and I Cast No Shadow (three), with Triple Eight (five), favourite Copy That (six) and Mach Dan (seven) to his right on the front line.

“I’m happy with our draw. I think it’s a good draw where he probably doesn’t have to bustle too hard early and he can possibly lob a very handy spot to them,” Moran told RSN.

Honolua Bay does possess good early speed, but it has been saved in recent times through the Inter Dominion series and Ballarat Pacing Cup when he drifted back to last and came with a withering sprint for second behind Copy That.

The last time the Group 1-winner was sent forward at the start, he led and was run down by Mach Dan in the Group 2 Breeders Crown Graduate Free For All in mid-November.

“He’s starting to adapt to that level of racing now and that high speed over the 2600m, which I think we seen at Ballarat. Even though he didn’t do any work, he rattled home late,” Moran said.

“I think we’ve just got to keep trying to drive him like that.

“He can obviously start doing a little bit more work now, but I think if we can drive him reasonably conservative without bustling him off the gate, he’s going to be really dangerous in some of these races.”

The 20-time winner is one of three Stewart-trained runners in the Hunter Cup, with Hurricane Harley – who like Honolua Bay is owned by Bill and Anne Anderson – and Mach Dan part of the 12-horse field.

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by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria