Tivaci returned to win the Listed Kensington Stakes at Flemington
A softer first-up option has had the desired result for Tivaci who has returned to win a stakes race at Flemington.
The Mike Moroney stable settled on Saturday’s Listed Kensington Stakes rather than Friday night’s Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Ridden by stable jockey Patrick Moloney, Tivaci ($17) scored by a long head from El Divino ($3.80) with the $2.35 favourite Hellbent a neck away third.
With Moroney in New Zealand for the upcoming yearling sale, Feroce said the stable may now rethink plans.
“The original plan was to run in the two 1400 metre Group Ones (CF Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes) and then come back to the Newmarket, but Mike may reassess that after today,” Feroce said.
“He’s got a lot of options.”
A son of noted sire of distance horses High Chaparral, Tivaci was tried over 2000m as a three-year-old but the stable now has him earmarked as a sprinter-miler.
Moroney’s racing manager Anthony Feroce is hoping Saturday’s 1000m victory will add to Tivaci’s value as a future stallion.
“As a three-year-old he was his own worst enemy but he’s now more mature and he did everything right.,” Feroce said.
For Moloney the win was the result of hard work which has cost the young rider a number of outside rides.
Moloney teamed with the Moroney stable last spring with the pair enduring a tough carnival, but they are looking forward to more positive results through the autumn.
He said he rides work three mornings a week for Moroney while on Saturdays rides out at Caulfield for his father Gerard and uncle John.
“You’re not going to get results like this sitting on the couch at home but when you commit to one stable you find it hard getting rides for other stables because you’re not networking as much,” Moloney said.
“And if the stable you’re riding for is not performing, then you’re not performing.”
Moloney said he’ was looking forward to the autumn with a number of quality young horses coming through for Moroney.
“The three-year-olds that we were getting ready in the spring didn’t come up, but they’ve come back a lot stronger this time and I’m really looking forward to the autumn,” Moloney said.
“And there’s a nice batch of two-year-olds that look good also.”
