Kerrin McEvoy has maintained a perfect record on the Mike Moroney-trained Octavia, guiding the tough mare to an all-the-way win in Saturday’s Group Three Cockram Stakes.
McEvoy’s only previous ride on Octavia yielded a Listed win in the Kevin Hayes Stakes in the autumn and he reunited with the mare on Saturday to cap a winning double at the Caulfield meeting.
Octavia winning the KS Environmental Cockram Stakes at Caulfield - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
The Sydney-based jockey had earlier partnered talented colt Safeguard to a narrow first-up win in the Group Three Vain Stakes.
Octavia was sent out the $3.20 favourite on the back of a last-start win at the track over the 1200m journey.
She took up the running on Saturday and kept finding all the way to the winning post to defeat A Time For Julia ($8) by a long neck with the same margin to Oriental Ruby ($26) third.
“It’s a race that we won with Pernod (in 2002) and she went on and won a Group One, so hopefully she can go on and do the same,” Moroney said.
The trainer said McEvoy “took the race by the scruff of the neck” with his front-running ride and praised the mare’s toughness as she raced to the first Group win of her career.
“I thought she was really solid today. It was a race where she was pretty vulnerable but it was a really good, tough win,” he said.
Moroney is planning to test Octavia over 1400m in the Let’s Elope Stakes next time out.
“There’s probably a question mark over 1400 but it might be worth a try,” McEvoy said.
“It obviously opens up a few more options for her if she can stay 1400 metres.”
Octavia’s win over the Peter Moody-trained A Time For Julia denied Moody four winners for the day after he had trained Kiss A Rose, Hanks and Thy to victories earlier on the program.
