Well-performed sprinter-miler O'Malley's Boy is likely to make his middle-distance debut in the $350,000 Kelt Stakes (2040m) at Hastings next month.
The Kelt Stakes is the last race in the Hawkes Bay weight-for-age treble of which O'Malley's Boy is expected to contest all three races.
The first of the treble is thisSaturday's group two $150,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes (1400m).
O'Malley's Boy has won 10 races but has not raced beyond 1600m.
However, two notable placings at 1600m were his second in the group one Easter Handicap at Ellerslie this year, beaten a nose, and victory in the group three Challenge Stakes at Ellerslie the previous season.
He has also been competitive against the best sprinters and goes well fresh, suggesting he will be a chance in the Mudgway.
The seven-year-old won the group two Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Avondale fresh-up last summer and at his next start was runner-up to Fritz in the group one Railway Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie, beaten a head.
O'Malley's Boy, trained at Matamata by Mike Moroney and Andrew Scott, appears to have come up well in his latest preparation and won an open class trial at Te Teko in the Bay of Plenty this month.
"He should be well and truly forward for the Mudgway," Moroney said yesterday.
"A rain-affected track would also help him. He seems to like heavy tracks less as he gets older, but an easy to soft track would be ideal for him.
"All going well he will run in all three races at Hastings. It gives him three opportunities to run for money here [in New Zealand]."
The stable is aiming Kapiston and Dance Class at the $50,000 Highview Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on September 15.
Kapiston was among the three top two-year-olds in New Zealand last term after winning the Ellerslie Sires' Produce and running third in the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.
"She's had no pressure on her yet but we hope to get her to Hastings," Moroney said. "She will stay here and follow the fillies' series until Christmas, but we would like to get her to Australia."
