It was just like Christmas in July for trainer Mike Moroney when Tinseltown won the Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Moroney has always believed Tinseltown (NZ) was capable of winning over 3200m but lack of size and maturity meant it took him six attempts before breaking through.  “He’s carried big weights and is only small,” Moroney said.  “He fell in a Sydney Cup and that was the most confident we had been with him going into a two-mile race.”

The Pentire gelding will be nominated for the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups but a more realistic spring goal would be the Victorian country cups circuit.

Tinseltown (7g Pentire – Tinsel by Jetball) scored a commanding two length win over fellow Kiwi Smoking Chimneys (Generous) at Eagle Farm.  It put the finishing touches on a wonderful winter carnival for Moroney.

Moroney won the G2 Eagle Farm Cup with imported stayer Glass Harmonium (Verglas), LR Gai Waterhouse Class at Ipswich with Born To Rock (Fastnet Rock) and the LR Sunshine Coast Guineas with Shenzhou Steed (Ishiguru).

Tinseltown was winning for the first time since the G2 Counties Cup in November 2010.  His other black-type wins in NZ were in the 2008 G2 First Sovereign Stakes at Avondale and 2009 G3 Rotorua Cup at Te Ahora.

His dam Tinsel is a half-sister to G1 Thorndon Mile winner Silver Chalice (St Hilarion) and Listed VATC Norman Robinson Stakes winner Big Dermott (War Hawk).

He is by Pentire who stands at Rich Hill Stud in NZ.  He has sired 482 winners at a 64% strike-rate and Tinseltown is one of 33 who have graduated to a black-type victory.