Mo'unga (foaled 20 November 2017) is a New Zealand bred race horse that has won multiple

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N * Group On ...

races in Australia.

Background

Bred by Waikato Stud in New Zealand, Mo'unga was sold at the 2019 Karaka Yearling Sale. He was purchased for $325,000 by Aquis Farm and relocated to their property in

Queensland, Australia ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Racing career

Mo'unga contested his first race on the 20 June 2020 at Gold Coast Racecourse in a 2-year-old

Maiden race In horse racing a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the se ...

which he one by one length. He was successful in his next two starts at Newcastle and Rosehill before finishing in 7th placing behind Ole Kirk in the

Caulfield Guineas The Caulfield Guineas is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held over 1600 metres (1 mile) at set weights for three-year-old horses at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia. Total prize money is A$3 million. The race ...

. Jockey

Damien Oliver Damien Oliver (born 22 June 1972) is an Australian thoroughbred racing jockey. Oliver comes from a racing family; his father Ray Oliver had a successful career until his death in a race fall during the 1975 Kalgoorlie cup in Western Australia. ...

said after the race, "I thought he ran well. He’s going to be a really nice horse next preparation with a bit of give in the ground." In December 2020 it was announced that Mo'unga would change trainers from Chris Waller to Annabel Neasham. After running placings in the

C S Hayes Stakes The C S Hayes Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race for three year old colts and geldings, at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Austr ...

and

Randwick Guineas The Randwick Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run at set weights over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March as a part of the Sydney Autumn Carnival ...

, Mo'unga won his first Group 1 race in the 2020 Rosehill Guineas. He won his second Group 1 five months later in the

Winx Stakes The Winx Stakes, registered as the Warwick Stakes, is a Group 1 Australian Turf Club thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 1400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in August. Priz ...

at Randwick. He was second to Sierra Sue in the 2022

Futurity Stakes (MRC) The Futurity Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, over a distance of 1400 metres held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, in late February. Total prize ...

(1400m) at Caulfield, ahead of Tofane.

Pedigree

References

{{reflist Racehorses bred in New Zealand Racehorses trained in Australia 2017 racehorse births