The Moroney stable declared little known New Zealander Monaco Consul its best horse since four-time Group One winner Xcellent after he capped a meteoric rise through the grades with victory in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick.Trainer Mike Moroney revealed his brother and co-trainer Paul, who oversees the team in New Zealand, had drawn the comparison with the 2005 Melbourne Cup placegetter prior to Monaco Consul coming to Australia for Saturday's Group One 2000 metre race."Paul said he's ou

The Moroney stable declared little known New Zealander Monaco Consul its best horse since four-time Group One winner Xcellent after he capped a meteoric rise through the grades with victory in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick.

Trainer Mike Moroney revealed his brother and co-trainer Paul, who oversees the team in New Zealand, had drawn the comparison with the 2005 Melbourne Cup placegetter prior to Monaco Consul coming to Australia for Saturday's Group One 2000 metre race.

"Paul said he's our best horse since Xcellent," Mike Moroney said.

"It's a big wrap."

Monaco Consul had had just four starts in New Zealand and only won his maiden at Ellerslie two starts ago.

He arrived in Sydney last Tuesday and despite rising in class from his second in a Ratings 70 race at Ruakaka last month to Group One company at Randwick, Monaco Consul proved up to the task.

"His win at Ellerslie was sensational and last start he had a couple of niggles going into the race," Moroney said.

"These sorts of horses, it can be hard to get them ready in New Zealand at times with the weather but we've had a good spring and a few good tracks."

Moroney has made a habit of plundering Group One races in Sydney on rain-affected tracks winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Sarrera and Coolmore Classic with Eskimo Queen in 2008 while Divine Rebel was runner-up to Ista Kareem on a heavy track in the Sydney Cup earlier this year.

Despite his record Moroney said he was unsure how Monaco Consul would handle the wet conditions at Randwick.

"We had no idea whether he would handle it or not," Moroney said.

The winning ride was a late pick-up for Jay Ford who let Monaco Consul find his feet early before bringing him to the inside of runners in the straight, downing pacemaker Gathering by 1-1/2 lengths with Viking Legend another three-quarters of a length away.

"I was supposed to be on Saint Encosta and they took that horse to Melbourne," Ford said.

"I think he (Monaco Consul) has got the makings of a pretty good horse. He only won his maiden a couple of starts ago."

Moroney confirmed the Victoria Derby at Flemington was the main mission for Monaco Consul and said he would have one more lead-up run in either the Norman Robinson or AAMI Vase.

Gathering is also headed to the Derby while Gai Waterhouse will see how Viking Legend pulls up before deciding if he goes to Melbourne.

The disappointment of the race was Gathering's Patinack Farm stablemate Onemorenomore who started favourite and pulled hard mid-race before finishing sixth.

Patinack Farm's Mark Webbey said they would reassess plans for Onemorenomore who was headed to the Derby before Saturday's disappointing effort.