Mark Zahra, typically a champagne enthusiast, signalled a departure from his usual celebratory choice for Saturday night, following a meaningful victory secured early in the Flemington program. The leading jockey piloted the New Zealand filly Lara Antipova to triumph in the inaugural $175,000 Listed Mike Moroney (1400m), a race established to commemorate the esteemed late former trainer.

Zahra maintained a strong association with Moroney, who achieved considerable accolades in Australia from his Flemington base, riding 57 winners, including three at Group 1 level. He pledged to mark the occasion with Moroney’s preferred beverage.

“It’s very special, he was a good friend of mine, I rode a lot of winners for him (and he was) just all round great bloke,” Zahra said. “No one had anything bad to say about him, so an absolute privilege (to win). “I have a glass of red for Mike tonight.”

Lara Antipova is prepared by Moroney’s countryman, Mark Walker, who had previously worked alongside the Melbourne Cup winner before his arrival in Australia. Walker expressed his satisfaction with the well-credentialled filly’s performance in Australia.

“It’s great today for the New Zealand industry that our form stacks up,” Walker said. “She is a Group 1 winner at home and I know this is a Listed race, but it was a quality field today, so it’s just really good when our form stacks up. “Hopefully we go on to a Thousand Guineas from here.”

Discover the best Australian betting sites to get involved in the racing action.