The late, great, Bart Cummings cast a long shadow over Saturday's meeting at Randwick with his son Anthony and grandson Edward teaming up for their first stakes winner with the High Chaparral mare Top Of My List and as the breeder of High Chaparral's $600,000 Group I Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) hero Tivaci.
The Waikato Stud bound Tivaci came with a barnstorming finish from last on the turn on a track that had been playing to frontrunners all day to defeat Le Romain (Hard Spun) by a neck with one and a quarter length back to Jungle Edge (Dubawi) in third. (photos Steve Hart).
Ridden by Damien Oliver for trainer Mike Moroney, Tivaci advances his record to 6 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds from 21 starts with earnings of $992,250.
It was a timely maiden Group I win for the handsome son of High Chaparral (IRE) after Waikato Stud recently purchased a major interest in him.
Carrying the colours of Lib Petagna, Tivaci was a dual Group III winner of the C.S. Hayes Stakes and the Sunshine Coast Guineas and was Group I-placed in the spring in the Cantala Stakes and the Toorak Handicap.
"We'll have a meeting now as to whether we race on or whether he goes to stud now but I'd say that will be it," Moroney said.
"He's the fastest son of High Chaparral probably in the world, I would think. He's by a great sire and proving to be a sire of sires too so he's going to a great home."
Oliver rode the 4yo entire early in his career but had not been on him for a long time before getting
"He did a good job and defied the pattern, they haven't been making much ground all day and he is a quality colt, turning stallion," Oliver said.
Tivaci was a $250,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Paul Moroney Bloodstock from the Princes Farm draft.
He is the first foal of the winning Fastnet Rock mare Breccia, a half-sister to Group I winner Allez Wonder and Group III winner Pretty Pins from Group II Perth Cup winner Luna Tudor.
Sheamus Mills Bloodstock paid $180,000 for Breccia's weanling colt by High Chaparral's champion son Dundeel at the 2016 Magic Millions National Weanling sale.
Reoffered by Willow Park at the recent Inglis Easter Yearling sale, the colt failed to meet his $240,000 reserve.
Acquired by Bell View Park Stud for $70,000 at the 2013 Inglis Easter Broodmare sale, Breccia will be consigned to the Magic Millions National Broodmare sale beginning on May 30 after being covered by Brazen Beau last spring.
The final crop of the sadly missed High Chaparral (IRE) go through the sales this year.
Tivaci became the 18th Group I winner to date for the former Coolmore shuttler.
