Chief Stipe Posted 3 hours ago Share Posted 3 hours ago Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Michael Moroney dies www.racenet.com.au Australia's greatest jockey Damien Oliver has led the tributes for "gentle giant" Michael Moroney after the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer died in his sleep on Thursday morning. The popular horseman, a stalwart of Victorian and New Zealand racing, won the Cup with Brew in 2000. Moroney last year defied a battle with serious illness to make a training comeback. The prolific Group 1 winner was at Caulfield last Saturday to witness Coeur Volante win the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes. • Michael Moroney opens up about the three ‘bullets' he dodged Moroney's Ballymore Stables confirmed the sad news on Thursday. "Michael not only had a special knack with horses, but with people," Ballymore posted on Facebook. "He was loved and respected by his staff, his owners, his beloved partner Karen and his family. "He will be remembered for his kindness, his willingness to share his time, expertise and his passion for the sport of horse racing. "He was a wonderful father and very proud grandfather, a member of a tight-knit family and circle of friends. He was a much loved member of the racing community and an outstanding conditioner of horses with a host of Group 1 wins, premierships and well deserved awards." Michael Moroney celebrating Brew's Melbourne Cup win in 2000 with jockey Kerrin McEvoy and part-owner Paul Moroney. Picture: Colleen Petch Oliver, the 129-time Group 1 winner who retired in 2023, linked with Moroney for many big race successes and Group 1 triumphs. But it was the man himself rather than the trainer who Oliver will remember most fondly. "Mike was just such a lovely bloke, I would describe him as a gentle giant," Oliver said. "He was just such a terrific fellow. "We had a lot of success together, a lot of it was due to our connection with (owner) Rupert Legh. "Mike's forte was generally with the stayers although he could certainly train any type of horses. "We had a lot of success and good times together. "When Mike set a horse for a big race, he was really good at that sort of thing." Three-time Melbourne Cup winner Oliver had his last Melbourne Cup ride in 2023 and it was for Moroney. Alenquer finished 21st in Oliver's swan song Melbourne Cup ride. As recently as 2017, Oliver had ridden a Group 1 winner for Moroney when Tivaci scored the All Aged Stakes in Sydney. Oliver said his favourite elite wins for Moroney came on Sarrera, who won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Group 1 Doomben Cup in 2008. "Sarrera was a good horse and so was Tivaci and they are a couple of horses that I won Group 1s on for Mike that come straight to mind," Oliver said. Damien Oliver with Michael Moroney at Randwick in 2008 when Sarrera won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes described Moroney as a "real gentleman". "I had a lot to do with him at Flemington, he was just a good bloke and a wonderful trainer. It's very sad," Hawkes said. Prominent breeder John Messara said his passing came as a shock. "I'm shattered. I've always found Mike to be a nice bloke, very easy to deal with, and he achieved so much as a trainer," Messara said. "I was only talking to him yesterday (Wednesday) as we have Plymouth running on Saturday. I couldn't believe it when I heard the news.'' Trainer Gai Waterhouse said Moroney was loved by everyone. "Adrian (Bott) and I send our condolences to the family of the late Mike Moroney who passed away today. A great man and a trainer loved by all,'' Waterhouse said. – more to come – with Ben Dorries and Ray Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted 3 hours ago Share Posted 3 hours ago Very sad…. Seemed a top bloke… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted 2 hours ago Author Share Posted 2 hours ago Moroney dreamed of 2000 Cup win www.racing.com Mike Moroney's name will be forever found in history as a Melbourne Cup-winning trainer, but Moroney also furthered Cup folklore like few others with the win of Brew in 2000. Most Australasian-based trainers grow up dreaming of Melbourne Cup glory, but it was not a matter of mere daydreaming or wishful thinking for the popular Kiwi horseman, as he woke one morning in 1998 trying to make sense of the night's events. In a dream, he saw a horse called Brew win a Melbourne Cup by two lengths, carrying saddlecloth No.24. What he found immediately strange was that the jockey was wearing a black cap with Moroney's stable colours of pale blue and black sleeves, instead of the traditional red cap. Brew, who found his way into Moroney's stables the following season after a failed overseas sale, only won his way into the Melbourne Cup field in 2000 via his Saab Quality (2500m) victory three days earlier. There for all to see in Melbourne Cup publications around the world were his jockey's Cup colours of pale blue, black sleeves and a black cap. As it had turned out, Moroney's Victoria Derby winner of the previous season, Second Coming, was considered the best hope in the 2000 Melbourne Cup and so his jockey was given the red cap to wear. He ultimately finished third, with the Jack Denham-trained Yippyio splitting the Moroney pair. Brew carried saddlecloth No.24 for his young jockey Kerrin McEvoy and he won by two lengths. WATCH: Brew's 2000 Melbourne Cup win Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAB For Ever Posted 2 hours ago Share Posted 2 hours ago RIP Big Mike .....very popular , friendly person and successful trainer. Thoughts go out to his family and friends. I was lucky enough to meet him at his Stable day just last Cup week in Melbourne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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