Savile Row set for first Australian start

Trainer Mike Moroney has set his sights on achieving Group One success with Savile Row who makes his Australian debut in a sprint race at Flemington.

Savile Row finished runner-up three times in Group One races last season in New Zealand before heading to the Australian base of Moroney’s trans-Tasman operation.

The four-year-old has been in Melbourne for a couple of months and resumes in Saturday’s Group Two Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m).

The Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and Toorak Handicap (1600m) are planned as his next two starts after Saturday with other options later in the spring.

“My job is to make sure he wins a Group One, being a stallion,” Moroney said.

“So that’s the first thing we’ve got to chase.

“I’ve got no doubt he’s got the ability.

“But as we saw with Tivaci, he beat himself a couple of times. Stallions can do that now and again if things don’t quite go their way.

“Tivaci always had Group One ability, and he got one.

“And I’m sure this guy has got as much ability, if not more.”

The Moroney-trained Tivaci was retired to stud after breaking through at Group One level in the All-Aged Stakes in April.

Savile Row was second in the NZ 2000 Guineas, the Levin Classic and Herbie Dyke Stakes as a three-year-old and hasn’t raced since being unplaced in the New Zealand Derby in March.

“He probably should have won two of those but for greenness, or being a colt he wasn’t an easy ride,” Moroney said.

He said the horse’s manners had improved and he hadn’t really put a foot wrong in Melbourne.

“But I know race day is a bit different, and he’s got a few antics before the race that we’ll need to get through as well,” he said.