Trainer Mike Moroney has declared veteran sprinter Mr Baritone his stable's best hope to open its winter carnival account at the Gold Coast on Saturday.Mr Baritone will line up for his second attempt to win the Listed Prime Minister's Cup after finishing fifth to Helideck in the 1300-metre feature in 2008.Mr Baritone hasn't won since claiming the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm the same year but Moroney dismisses any suggestion the rising nine-year-old has seen better times."Of all m
Trainer Mike Moroney has declared veteran sprinter Mr Baritone his stable's best hope to open its winter carnival account at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Mr Baritone will line up for his second attempt to win the Listed Prime Minister's Cup after finishing fifth to Helideck in the 1300-metre feature in 2008.
Mr Baritone hasn't won since claiming the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm the same year but Moroney dismisses any suggestion the rising nine-year-old has seen better times.
"Of all my runners tomorrow I think Mr Baritone is probably my best chance," Moroney said.
"He's coming back a lot in class and his last run when sixth in the (Group One) All-Aged Stakes was very good.
"He got pushed off the track that day and his form in Sydney during the autumn was good.
"I don't think he's any different to when he won the Stradbroke a couple of years ago and he's been racing in Group races for the past 12 months.
The winner of more than $1.2 million in prizemoney with eight wins and 21 placings from 58 starts, Mr Baritone is again headed to the Group One Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on May 29 and Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 12.
Mr Baritone has a good wet track record with four wins and five placings from 16 starts on tracks rated slow or heavy.
The Gold Coast track remains in the heavy range and isn't expected to improve much following a torrential downpour on Monday.
Moroney's confidence isn't as strong with stablemates Marheta in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) and Tootsie in the Listed Silk Stocking (1200m).
"Unfortunately both missed an important gallop on Tuesday but the wet won't be much of a worry to either," Moroney said.
Marheta, who will jump from the outside of the Gold Coast Bracelet field, is headed to the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 5 and is nominated for the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) on the same track a week later.
The daughter of Al Maher has won two races from seven starts but Moroney feels missing the midweek gallop could harm her chances.
"The wet won't worry her but she needed a hitout for this which she didn't get on Tuesday and she'll improve with this run," he said.
Moroney won the Queensland Oaks with Eskimo Queen in 2007 but doesn't yet rate Marheta in the same class as his former star filly.
"Marheta is an improving filly and doesn't carry much condition but she's not as good as Eskimo Queen just yet," he said.
"Eskimo Queen improved out of sight before she won the Oaks here."
Tootsie was ridden back in the field when she was runner-up to Vonusti in the Group One Telegraph Handicap (1200m) at Trentham in January before racing handy in her Group Three Mannerism Stakes victory at Caulfield in February.
Moroney took her to Adelaide for the Group One Robert Sangster (1200m) at Morphettville in March but she failed badly, beating just one runner home in the feature won by Rostova.
"She's really well and has got some wet track form in New Zealand but she will also improve with this run," he said.