Jockey Damian Browne has given his rivals another master class in how to ride the Sunshine Coast racetrack in steering Tivaci to a Group Three win.
Browne won his fourth stakes race in the past three weeks when Tivaci ($3.20) raced away to score by 1-1/4 lengths to High Spirit ($6.50) in the Sunshine Coast Guineas on Saturday.
Toowoomba filly Sold For Song completed a profitable winter with her third.
Trainer Michael Moroney, who won the Guineas with Shenzhou Steeds in 2011, was at Caloundra to oversee Tivaci’s lead-up work but had a family commitment in Melbourne and missed the race.
Moroney rarely goes through a winter carnival without a Sunshine Coast winner and took the Queensland Cup last year with Mr Impatience when it was run at the track.
“He had no luck when sixth in the Queensland Guineas at his previous start. He began poorly and I got caught in the worse part of the track,” Browne said.
Browne was again the toast of the coast for his ride as he was able to get Tivaci to the much faster crown of the track even though he drew barrier two.
Tivaci is now likely to return to Melbourne with a spring carnival campaign a possibility.
Browne has also won the Tattersall’s Club Tiara (Miss Cover Girl), Ipswich Cup (Maurus) and Eye Liner Stakes (Ninth Legion) in the past three weeks.
Trainer Peter Snowden was pleased with the run of High Spirit who tried hard in the straight.
“He is taking a while to get there but he shows promise. I think he will run at least 2000 metres but he will probably be an autumn horse instead of a spring one,” he said.
Trainer Kevin Kemp was thrilled with the run of Sold For Song.
“She has had a very good campaign and now it is time for a spell. I am looking at the Melbourne spring but there are a lot of races for her in the Brisbane summer so we will see,” he said.
