Melbourne Cup on agenda for Geelong hero Vengeur Masque

The Geelong Cup-Melbourne Cup double has been completed three times – Media Puzzle (2002), Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011) - and Vengeur Masque could attempt to become the fourth at Flemington next month following his thrilling success in the prestigious Group 3 won last year by Godolphin's Qewy.

There are certainly worse ways of ending a 28-month drought. Vengeur Masque, fifth to Simple Verse in the 2015 St Leger, had not won since mid-June 2015 but he picked the perfect day to get his head back in front with a winner's purse of £105,263.

Vengeur Masque was formerly trained by Mikel Delzangles in France but was snapped up by Mike Moroney following his aforementioned Doncaster display in September 2015.

It did not appear to be the best money the stable ever spent following ten runs without a win, but it looks a bargain now as the five-year-old held on by a short head from the fast-finishing favourite Gallic Chieftain.

The Melbourne Cup is now on the agenda for Vengeur Masque and Moroney knows a thing or two about training Melbourne Cup winners having sent out Brew to cause an upset in 2000.

Vengeur Masque was only number 45 on the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup before his Geelong Cup success so he will need a penalty and some drop outs to make the 24-runner field on November 7.

Moroney said: "Vengeur Masque reminds me of Brew. When they get strong they can give a strong gallop and he’s only just starting to get there. There is more to come. We've always had a lot of faith in this horse and he's only starting to mature now."

Winning rider Pat Moloney echoed Moroney's thoughts and stressed that Vengeur Masque is only beginning to fulfil his early potential.

Moloney said: "Today was the perfect scenario for the perfect horse, couldn’t have scripted it better. This horse is finally going to deliver on his promise.

"He’s really thriving off his work since he’s been gelded. He’s quite a highly strung sort but the gear changes [earplugs] are helping."

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