Mike Moroney will be looking for redemption of sorts when he saddles up a dual-pronged attack in Saturday’s Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m)...

Mike Moroney will be looking for redemption of sorts when he saddles up a dual-pronged attack in Saturday’s Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm in Brisbane, reports Racing Victoria.

In 2007 Moroney had the $3.70 Queensland Derby favourite, Eskimo Queen, who was coming off a dominant 3.5 length victory in the previous week's Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m).

Travelling sweetly during the run, approaching the 1000 metre mark the daughter of Shinko King lost her footing and dislodged rider Greg Childs, who was badly injured in the fall. 

While he admitted he doesn’t give it too much thought these days, Moroney said there would be a small amount of added satisfaction if he could win the Derby on Saturday with either Rhythm To Spare or Ali Vital.

“I suppose it was always a race I felt that got away and it would be great to win it back,” Moroney said.

“It was just one of those things that happens, she (Eskimo Queen) was going really well at the time.”

Rhythm To Spare, who raced himself into Derby calculations with an impressive Sportingbet Park win last month before a metitorious second placing in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Doomben, is currently on the third line of betting at $6 with TAB.

Ali Vital, who is currently rated a $26 outsider, only earned his Derby place last Wednesday with a three-length midweek victory over the same course and distance as the Grand Prix.

Despite the difference in price, Moroney said of the two geldings Ali Vital was likely to prove the superior stayer.

“Ali Vital will definitely run the distance, he’s an out-and-out stayer that is probably six months away from his best, whereas Rhythm To Spare is probably a bit stronger and a bit more brilliant at this stage,” he said.

“Rhythm To Spare is by Pins so there’s always a bit of a question mark over whether he will stay 2400 metres but he’s out of a Zabeel mare and he gets his stoutness from there.”

Moroney said an inside draw would help at tomorrow morning’s barrier draw so that Rhythm To Spare wasn’t forced to get as far back as he did in the Grand Prix.

“He got a bit further back than what Glen Boss wanted to last start and he had to make a really long run into the race which told out over the last 150 metres,” he said.

“We expected that because we thought whatever he did out of that race he would improve on.

“He wants a bit of give in the ground, a dead to slow track would be ideal rather than a heavy.”

Moroney said Rhythm To Spare worked strongly alongside stable mate Shenzhou Steeds in Brisbane this morning, with Moroney confirming the five-year-old will take his place in Saturday’s Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m).

“Shenzhou Steeds is starting to get back to his best in his work now and his two runs in Queensland have been quite good,” he said.

“He takes a couple of runs to get fit and he’s getting fitter with every run and I think he’ll strip close to his best on Saturday.”

Moroney said Shenzhou Steeds would probably press on to the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on June 29, a race he won by seven lengths last year.