Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Mike Moroney has won some of Australia's most significant races on the national calendar. However the $1 million Caulfield Guineas has been an event that has given the former Kiwi little success.
Moroney will have his gifted three-year-old Tulsa in the group 1 classic and is quietly confident the $240,000 investment can change the luck the trainer has experienced in the race in recent years.
In fact, Moroney said one of his starters jumped from the barriers and suddenly locked its jaw around the bit, careering off the track and ending its hopes of success.
"It's just one of those races that luck hasn't been on my side. And the early signs aren't good for the third time in Tulsa's career, he's drawn near the outside, which is far from an advantage at this gate," Moroney said.
"But we'll have to go back and ride for a bit of luck. Actually he's drawn the outside on both occasions and in both those races he's had to give them a start."
The Caulfield Guineas is the race that has been known as a "stallion maker" for the number of horses that have retired and gone to stud during the past few decades.
However, Tulsa will not be emulating any of those successful colts as his waywardness when an entire proved more than a handful for Moroney and his Flemington stable.
The trainer admitted he tried valiantly to keep the horse a colt considering he was a son of highly successful Sebring but the battle became too much.
"He was a real colt from the start. He was just trying to bite other horses. Actually bite's being a nice way of putting it, he was really savaging them so we worked night and day and at one stage we looked like we were getting on top of him," he said.
Tulsa was taken to the north of the state where he ran at Echuca but his bad manners continued and eventually Moroney contacted his owners informing them his racing days would be limited if he was not gelded.
"It's an interesting statistic he's drawn the outside gate on three occasions and he's had to be ridden conservatively. But it would be lovely one day to draw inside and show his true ability.
"And he looked really good at Caulfield last time after giving them a big start and then flying home to be second so I've really got to hope the pace is on so it can assist his performance."
While Moroney and jockey Ben Melham ponder their options for Tulsa, Sydney rider Hugh Bowman is convinced their awkward barrier 14 draw will not be the undoing of crack Sydney colt Press Statement.
Bowman has been strong all week that the three-year-old can overcome the wide gate and his first appearance at Caulfield.
Meanwhile, leading Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton will fly into Melbourne on Sunday from Hong Kong to ride Fame Game in a special track gallop at Werribee before returning to Hong Kong.
The Japanese connections of the horse contacted Purton in a bid for him to ride the horse prior to Saturday week's Caulfield Cup.