Scoring a long overdue win at Flemington on Saturday was promising Rubick three year-old Alburq, a $260,000 Magic Millions purchase for Paul Moroney Bloodstock from the draft of Edinburgh Park, who will offer his half-brother by Vancouver at MM 2020.
A good second when resuming from a spell behind quality Rubick filly Rubisaki last month at Moonee Valley, the Mike Moroney trained Alburq atoned from that loss with a determined short half head win in the 1200 metre Benchmark 70 event.
Placed five times from his previous seven starts, Alburq has won over $160,000 in prizemoney, but plans for his next start have now changed following this breakthrough victory.
"He was a pretty good mannered colt, probably just a little bit on his toes and he got pretty heavy so we gelded him and it's really relaxed him down and he's going to make a really nice horse," Mike Moroney said.
"We've got him in the Magic Millions three-year-old race as well as the maiden but he's not a maiden anymore so he won't be going for that.
"We were almost going to sit on it and trial him up there (Queensland) and go into it (Magic Millions Maiden).
"We'll certainly give it a bit of thought whether we still take him up there for the 1400m or whether we stay here.”
Either way, Alburq has a good measure of ability and with a win under his belt will take good confidence from this outing going forward.
Bred and sold by Ian Smith of Edinburgh Park, stakes-placed Alburq is the fourth winner from four foals to race from winning Dehere (USA) mare Euro Chic, who is closely related to Group I winner Bollinger and claims blue hen Eau D’etoile as her third dam.
Edinburgh Park will present the current yearling from Euro Chic, a colt by Vancouver, as Lot 283 and he is pictured below.
