Shalaa’s Mornington Glory the next big hope for Laurie
Group challenges await half-brother to Hallowed Crown and Needs Further after pulverising rivals on debut
Victorian trainer Matt Laurie unveiled an exciting spring prospect at Bendigo yesterday with his well-bred three-year-old Mornington Glory (Shalaa), a half-brother to Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) and Needs Further (Encosta De Lago), rising to the occasion on debut.
While it may only have been a maiden over 1100 metres, the colt’s dominant three-and three-quarter-length win over Foturi (Star Witness) and Spirit of Pepin (Magnus) was enough to confirm Laurie’s plans to start him in the Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Flemington on October 2.
“We have always had a big opinion of him. We thought his class should prevail and obviously it did. There’s still a fair bit to come from him as far as fitness goes but he will learn a lot from it,” said Laurie.
“I’d like to give consideration to running him in the Danehill. It’s obviously a fair step up but I think at this stage we wouldn’t have much to lose and it gives us an opportunity to see if he can go up a cog, but he’s got a long way to go off the back of a maiden at Bendigo.
Mornington Glory is half-brother to Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) and Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Hallowed Crown and Group 3 winner Needs Further, now both successful stallions on the Twin Hills Stud and Armidale Stud rosters respectively.
He’s the last foal out of the lightly raced Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner and Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up Crowned Glory (Danehill) who, after producing 11 colts, was retired in June, 2020.
The colt presents another high-class prospect for his Arrowfield Stud shuttle stallion Shalaa (Invincible Spirit), who in Ireland on Saturday secured his first individual Group 1 winner courtesy of Matron Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) winner No Speak Alexander at Leopardstown.
Laurie told ANZ Bloodstock News that Mornington Glory, who raced with glue-on shoes yesterday, had suffered a “nasty” hoof abscess which had set him back this preparation.
“He was terribly sore for close to two weeks and it eventually burst through the heel. If you get an abscess it stops them running or anything, they are not just sore, they are on three legs. We lost a bit of momentum with him so he came into the race a bit under done but hoped he would be too good anyway.”
Mornington Glory was knocked down for $360,000 to Matt Laurie Racing/Bahen Bloodstock/Andrew Williams Bloodstock through a dispersal of the Estate of Eduardo Cojuangco’s Gooree Stud stock on the Gold Coast staged by Magic Millions in July 2020.
“He obviously has a very big pedigree and we had enough feedback on the horse that we thought we would have a crack,” Laurie said.
Prior to being sold, he was broken in by the team at Gooree’s revered property at Mudgee, in central western NSW, and after being auctioned at their dispersal on the Gold Coast was sent to Kolora Lodge for spelling and pre-training.
“He had his first preparation on the Gold Coast before heading back down to Melbourne. You could see then that he had a big motor but his legs were still everywhere,” Laurie recalled.
Mornington Glory has some high profile owners involved in the ownership, including former AFL star Shane Crawford and betting supremo Matt Tripp. Laurie himself snapped up a share in him early on after identifying his potential X-factor ability.
Laurie, who won his first Group 1 race as a trainer at Caulfield during the autumn with Portland Sky (Deep Field) in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m), rates Mornington Glory as one of the best horses in his stable.
“I have him in the bracket with our other black type horses. He’s still got a way to go to do that but that’s what he’s shown me in track work and his general attitude,” Laurie said.
“He’s a very proud horse and very good to work with and it feels as though that’s the league he will be competing in.”
Laurie’s leading light, Portland Sky, is campaigning towards the Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at The Valley on September 24 and he’s pleased with his progress since finishing second first-up behind the talented The Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor) in the McEwen Stakes (Gr 2, 1000m) at the same course.
“He galloped really strong yesterday on the course proper and will have another workout on Friday before heading to Moonee Valley on Monday for the gallops there,” Laurie said of the four-year-old entire.
“He’s come on a lot from his first up run. I’m happy with him, he’s looking particularly well and training well but it won’t be a walk in the park in the Moir.”
Now he’s tasted elite level success Laurie is keen to find more quality horses to join his team and was very active at the major yearling sales earlier this year.
He spent more than $2 million at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale on four yearlings, with his most expensive purchase a colt he paid $700,000 for by Arrowfield Stud shuttle stallion Shalaa, the same sire as Mornington Glory.
He also came away with five horses from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where, along with partners, he outlayed more than $1.3 million.
“We have invested heavily and are lucky enough to have a few guys behind us to put their money forward to buy some nice stock, so hopefully we can repay them,” Laurie said.
Laurie’s most expensive individual buy this year was a Zoustar (Northern Meteor) colt from Lady Jivago (Beneteau) that he paid $1.25 million for at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“He’s a lovely horse and very balanced with a good action on him. He’s just returned to the stable and is still filling out. He won’t be early but he gives a good feel underneath you and has a good action. Hopefully he has a good motor but all the early signs are positive,” he said.