A lack of suitable staying races in Sydney saw the Annabel and Rob Archibald stable send a team of four horses to their recently acquired Flemington stable.
It paid a winning dividend with Mormona leading home the quartet in the Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Mormona, Hopeful, Sir Chartwell and Double Cherry are all imported gallopers in the care of the Archibalds and Saturday’s 2800m journey was considered ideal for the quartet.
Ridden by Jamie Melham, Mormona ($4.20) scored a short-neck win from the $2.60 betting site favourite Muktamil with Samuel Langhorne ($9) a further 1-¼ lengths away third.
Rob Archibald said the newly acquired stables at Flemington made it easy for the switching of horses between states, especially stayers.
Mormona had been a five-time winner in France before making his way to Australia with Saturday’s victory his first in 11 starts since his arrival.
The gelding had indicated a win was near when second in the Stayers Cup at Rosehill on June 28.
“There was no race in Sydney, so we came down here and it was the right race,” Archibald said.
“They don’t run many suitable staying races, so we’re pleased to have a stable at Flemington and we can come down for these sorts of races.
“I’m not sure whether we back off him and come back for a few targets in the spring or whether we push on, but he’d been building for a nice run like that, so it was good to see him put it altogether.
“He’ll get out over a bit further too, but whether he’s ready for that this year or not, it might be something we look to in the future.
“He’s still got a little way to go, but he’s on the right track.”
Archibald said Mormona was slowly getting used to Australian conditions and racing patterns and now that he has broken through may be able to go on to greater heights.
Melham, who was riding the gelding for the first time, said Mormona would be suited over a longer trip, and she was amazed with his lung capacity.
“I was telling the owners this horse wants further,” Melham said.
“He’s got a very big lung capacity because he did not blow at all afterwards. I was blowing harder than him after race.
“He’s a very fit, a very clean horse and was too good for them.”
