Trainer Michael Moroney believes the skies the limit for his striking Redoute’s Choice colt Alabama Express who came off a three-month break to land Saturday’s Donate To Salvation Army Hcp (1100m) at Flemington with a minimum of fuss.
Settled midfield of the seven runners by Michael Dee, Alabama Express displayed an explosive turn of foot to defeat Little Rich Boy (Danerich) by two lengths with Banquo (Written Tycoon) a short-half-head back in third.
The winner of the Listed MRC Gothic Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield last October, Alabama Express was most recently a meritorious fifth in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington back on November 2.
Moloney said the son of Redoute’s Choice should have finished much closer in that race.
His father's son - Alabama Express - images Grant Courtney
“He’s always been an on speed horse and we thought we would ride him just off them in the Coolmore. As it tuned out he got on the wrong side of the track and he made up really good ground after being held up,” Moroney said.
“The CF Orr Stakes is a race three-year-olds can win. So that’s what we would like to do. Chase a Group 1, he has real stallion potential, a gorgeous horse by the right stallion and he is starting to get the right record.”
Bred by GSA Bloodstock, Alabama Express advances his record to 3 wins and 1 second from6 starts with earnings of $232,750.
A $280,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Arrowfield draft for Paul Moroney Bloodstock, Alabama Express is the best of three winners out of the Encosta De Lago mare Lago Ovation, who died in 2017. Alabama Express is her final foal.
When covered by Redoute’s Choice, Lago Ovation’s granddam Rekindled Affair (IRE) produced the gifted Rekindled Interest the winner of the Group II MVRC Dato` Tan Chin Nam Stakes and Group II MVRC AAMI Vase.
Jonathon Munz’s GSA Bloodstock also bred and sold the impressive 2yo Redoute’s Choice colt Prague, a $1.6 million yearling, who opened his winning account at his career debut at Canterbury on Friday night.
