One To Watch - Geelong

Mark Smith - Friday August 14

The market suggested that the Mike Moroney-trained Bermadez would be hard to beat when making a belated career debut over 1250 metres at Geelong on Friday and he didn’t disappoint.

Given a rev-up by Damien Oliver from an outside barrier, Bermadez took up the running and it was plain sailing from there on.

Easy as you like - Bermadez romps on debut (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)

After a gentle reminder coming around the turn, the son of Tavistock quickened impressively to put the race to bed allowing Oliver the luxury of throttling down over the final 50 metres in a five and a quarter length romp over Pitjara (Shooting To Win) with Pure Purgatory (Oratorio) a further length back in third.

The new season 4yo gelding was a $280,000 purchase by Paul Moroney Bloodstock out of the Inglewood Stud draft out of Book 1 at NZB Karaka Yearling Sale and races for a group of loyal stable clients including Rupert Legh.  

Inglewood had purchased Bermadez’s dam Pikea for just $12,000 at the 2012 Australian Weanling and Bloodstock Sale.

The<

Advertisement

/p>

daughter of Anabaa (USA) is a sister to the Group II Villiers Stakes winner Row Of Waves and a half-sister to Better Alternative (Flying Spur) the dam of the Group 1 Victoria Derby, Group 1 ATC BMW Stakes, Group 1 VRC Australian Cup and Group 1 Turnbull Stakes winner Preferment (Zabeel) and his Group III winning sister Rezoned.

Bermadez was a $280,000 Karaka yearling

Pikea’s dam Ancient lights (Canny Lad) is a six-time winning sister to the Group 1 VRC Salinger Stakes winner Ancient Song and a half-sister to the multiple stakes-winners Danzig Beau and Royal Lott.

At Karaka this year, Ribot Stud shelled out $70,000 for Inglewood Stud’s Pikea filly by Tivaci.

Pikea has a yearling full-sister to Bermadez from the penultimate crop of Tavistock and was covered last season by Inglewood Stud’s resident stallion War Decree (USA) a royally bred, Group II winning son of War Front.

Advertisment

Race Result - Elephant & Castle Hotel Mdn 1250m

Geelong Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:15.21
1
Bermadez
- 4g Tavistock (NZ) x Pikea (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: D Oliver 58.5
2
5.3
Pitjara
- 4m Shooting To Win (AUS) x Tambo's Jewel (AUS) (Oratorio (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Jamie Kah 56.5
3
6.3
Pure Purgatory
- 4m Oratorio (AUS) x Silver Sass (AUS) (Due Sasso (AUS))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: D W Stackhouse 56.5
4
6.6
Vitosha
- 5m Helmet (AUS) x Mintenko (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Mitchell Freedman Rdr: W Egan 56.5
5
7.4
Norah
- 4m All Too Hard (AUS) x Our Miss Jones (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: M C Kent Rdr: Beau Mertens 56.5
6
8.4
Lady Fiorente
- 4m Fiorente (IRE) x Chaparral Lass (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: Ms D Loos Rdr: Ben Allen 56.5
7
10.1
Ella Isabella
- 4m Eurozone (AUS) x Ella Zabella (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: D Moor 56.5
8
10.9
Moncreek
- 5g Smart Missile (AUS) x Feminine Wiles (USA) (Miesque's Son (USA))
Tnr: Jarrod Robinson Rdr: R Mc Leod 58.5
9
13.4
Alice Band
- 6m Helmet (AUS) x Short 'n' Sweep (AUS) (End Sweep (USA))
Tnr: Paul McKenna Rdr: Dean Holland 56.5
10
23.4
Krishna Cove
- 4m Dark Cove (USA) x She's A Tycoon (AUS) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: Chris Calthorpe Rdr: Jack Martin 56.5
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Monday November 24
Here is the full list of 15 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Foals and Yearlings Highlighted for Breednet Premium Stallions
With the foaling season drawing to an end for 2025 and the yearling sales season upon us Breednet have launched a new addition to our Premium stallion pages with a carousel arrangement now available to highlight foals born this spring or yearlings for the 2026 sales.
Closer Look at an Unexpected Success
He is the leading sire of 3YOs so far this season and is set to have a huge impact on the yearling sales of 2026, so we are taking a closer look at this stalwart sire, whose long term impact is only just beginning.
Tattersalls December Foal Sale Day 1 -First Season Sires Impress
The four-day Tattersalls December Foal Sale got off to a solid start with two lots by first season sires DRAGON SYMBOL and SHAQUILLE jointly heading proceedings at 75,000 guineas and increases in the turnover, median, average and clearance rate from the equivalent day in 2024.
Cambridge Stud Mare Chasing Elusive Stakes Win
Cambridge Stud mare Jaarffi posted yet another stakes placing over the weekend, and trainer Lance Noble is hoping she can be rewarded for her consistency with an elusive black-type victory over summer.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 25
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
Just the two heats for juveniles at Warwick Farm on Tuesday morning and we saw winners by first season sire Home Affairs and the reigning champion sire Zoustar.
425,000 Guinea Frankel Colt Tops Tattersalls December Yearlings
It's the start of a big fortnight of sales in the UK with Tattersalls December kicking off overnight with the yearling session to be followed later this week by Foals and then next week the stellar Mares will be offered, a sale that produced reigning Australian Horse of the Year Via Sistina (IRE) in 2023.
Karaka Graduate Bermadez in Winning Form at Flemignton
The Mike Moroney-trained Bermadez was back in the winner’s circle for the first time since May 2022 with a hard-fought victory in the Howden Australian Guineas Day, 2 March (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Third Season Judgement Day
When the oldest progeny of a stallion turn four there is nowhere left to hide so a look at the third season sire table at the end of spring can be an interesting one when we take it conjunction with what will be happening at the sales in 2026.