While nothing can fill the void left by the passing of Mike Moroney, a winning double at Caulfield on Saturday served as a tribute to his lasting legacy.
The Ballymore Stables at Flemington are now overseen by Glen Thompson, who stepped into a training partnership with Moroney at the beginning of the season.
Although Racing Australia officially transferred the stable’s care to Thompson on Friday, Moroney’s name remained in the racebook on Saturday.
The Flemington-based team celebrated an early win with Bankers Choice in the DCE Handicap (2400m), followed by Benagil’s triumph in the VOBIS Platinum Guineas (1600m).
Longtime racing manager Anthony Feroce reflected on the emotional period the stable has endured in the wake of Moroney’s passing just over two weeks ago.
“That means a lot,” Feroce said after Bankers Choice’s victory.
“We had Mike’s memorial on Tuesday, and his funeral is on Monday in New Zealand. This is such a wonderful way to start the day.
“For Glen, this is a huge moment. He’s officially on his own now as a trainer, and it’s a fantastic start.”
Feroce indicated that Bankers Choice would likely be aimed at the Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) in May.
While Thompson was at Rosehill preparing Coeur Volante for the Group 1 Coolmore Classic, Benagil produced an exceptional performance, storming from near the rear to claim the VOBIS Platinum Guineas.
The filly had originally been entered for the Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday, but Feroce explained that they opted to bypass that race in favor of a more suitable target.
“We initially planned to run last week, but we didn’t feel confident about beating Matt Laurie’s top-class filly, so we decided to wait and come here instead. It turned out to be the right call,” Feroce said.
“The plan has always been to head to the Australasian Oaks in Adelaide, so we’ll discuss things with Phil (Campbell) and go from there.”