The ageless Buffalo River (USA) turned back the clock to win a second Group III Moonga Stakes at Caulfield two years after his first.
A third winner on the day to carry the colours of Rupert Legh, the son of Noble Mission, led at every call under Celine Gaudray to defeat Climbing Star by one-and-a-quarter lengths with Cause For Concern a long-neck back in third.
Besides his three stakes victories, Buffalo River (USA) has placed in a further eight stakes races, including a second in the Group 1 Toorak Hcp.
The 7-year-old gelding advances his record to nine wins, eight seconds, and five thirds from 41 starts with earnings of $1,013,772.
“She (Celine Gauray) did a perfect ride; I could tell before they turned for home that he was travelling easily, so I thought it’d take a good one to run past him,” winning trainer Mike Moroney said.
“The other day, he was off the bridle, and she possibly got a couple of sections a little bit wrong, but today it was just picture perfect.
“We decided to take the ear muffs off, and since we’ve done that, it’s certainly livened him up, and we’ve trained him on the treadmill a bit, changing things around a bit. They say you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, but you can.”
Buffalo River was consigned to the 2018 Tattersalls Horse In Training Sale, where Paul Moroney secured the John Gosden-trained colt for 180,000 guineas.
He had a win and three placings from his four starts, including a third behind Godolphin's Royal Marine (Raven's Pass) at Doncaster. That colt won the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp at his next start.
Buffalo River (USA) comes from the first crop of Frankel's brother Noble Mission, who won the Champion Stakes, Tattersalls Gold Cup and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
Fashion Insider (Indian Charlie), Buffal River’s dam, is a sister to the Grade II Super Derby winner My Pal Charlie and Grade III winner Bwana Charlie and a half-sister to Grade III winner Bwana Bull (Holy Bull).
