Mo'unga (foaled 20 November 2017) is a New Zealand-bred racehorse who won multiple

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (motorsport), a regulation set of the FIA for series-production touring cars used in motorsport. * Group One Thoroughbred horse races, the leading e ...

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 Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, ...

Racing career

Mo'unga contested his first race on June 20, 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 s ...

which he won 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 Retirement, retired 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 ...

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 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. Prize ...

Randwick Randwick is a suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government ar ...

. 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