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By Ray Hickson

It might have been a ‘standard gallop’ but as Annabel Neasham watched Mo’unga stride out with stable star Zaaki in a special track gallop last week she knew the four-year-old was ready for a big test at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Grant Guy)

While Neashem did expose Mo’unga, last season’s Rosehill Guineas winner, to the elite in the Doncaster Mile and Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes earlier this year making the transition to open age is never a given.

But the Warwick Farm trainer couldn’t be happier with his progress from a quiet barrier trial to that 1000m course proper work at headquarters ahead of the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m).

“I never trial my horses overly hard, I like the races to bring them on a bit, so that was a good trial from him,’’ Neasham said.

“Tommy (Berry) was really happy with what he felt when he got on him at Randwick, he worked with Zaaki, and it was a lovely piece of work.

“The kind of work you want to see a week out from a Group 1.

“He was only a couple of lengths off Addeybb and Verry Elleegant and he was the only three-year-old in the field having had a relatively busy month so that’s given me confidence.

“He’s going to have to improve to measure up and win these races but I think he has naturally improved in his work because his physique is stronger.”

Mo’unga, $8 with TAB on Thursday, hasn’t been dealt any favours drawing 12 in the 14 horse field on Saturday and that’s likely to see him ridden patiently.

Neasham said the Winx Stakes is very much a starting point for the preparation, so he will have upside, but it’s also a good learning curve for the spring ahead.

“It’s a slightly tricky draw and he’s going to improve, he’s not ready to completely rock and roll,’’ she said.

“He has a long prep so it’s very much his first-up run but I think he is forward enough to be very competitive.

“This is a big field, a weight-for-age Group 1 so you’d hope it’s a competitive race but we’ll certainly learn where we’re at with him.

“With most of mine they are ridden where they’re comfortable and I’m not going to race him outside of his usual pattern. We’ll be looking to run a really good race and hopefully hit the line solid, and with any luck that will be in front.”

Metro Legend, formerly known as Cadenabbia, is Neasham’s other Randwick runner in the $100,000 Midway Handicap (1600m) and she’s quietly confident he’s ready to break through.

Mo'unga's trial at Warwick Farm on August 9

The four-year-old was over a month between runs, and spent three of those weeks in the paddock, when he finished a close up fourth behind Ashman in a 1300m Midway three weeks ago.

“I thought he resumed quite well, because he was so long between runs I wanted to give him a run over that trip to blow the cobwebs away with this race in mind,’’ Neasham said.

“There’s an 1800m race a couple of weeks later so it’s a nice little program for him. He’s drawn out a bit in a big field but I’m looking forward to starting him again, he’s been working very well.”

Kerrin McEvoy rides Metro Legend, $8.50 with TAB on Thursday.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting