Karaka Graduate Wins $500,000 Melbourne Cup Country Final

Media Release - Thursday November 4

The Mike Moroney-trained Bermadez landed a big payday for connections when taking the lion’s share of the A$500,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) at Flemington on Thursday.

Bermadez wins at Flemington - image Steve Hart.

The five-year-old son of Tavistock was perfectly ridden by champion jockey Damien Oliver, coming from beyond midfield with a well-timed run to advance his career record to four wins from seven starts, downing Typhoon Harmony and front-runner Brazen Song.

Connections were rewarded for their patience with the career of the talented gelding halted through shoulder problems on a couple of occasions, with Moroney placing Bermadez to perfection to land the lucrative BenchMark 80 Handicap.

“He’s always looked a smart horse but he’s taken a long time,” Moroney said.

“He’s actually named after a horse that ran third in a Brisbane Cup for my vet Jim Marks who is in ill health at the moment.

“Paul and I spent a lot of time with him and he taught us about buying horses, etc. It’s great for him.

“When he won that maiden, I spoke to Olli (Damien Oliver) afterwards and he thought he was a Group horse. He’s had a lot of things go wrong with him. We gave him eight months in the paddock to get over it.

“The owners have been really patient and he’s starting to deliver now.

Advertisement

“By the autumn we might travel with him. Once he gets a bit further it might suit him.”

Winning jockey Damien Oliver has been in the saddle on six of the seven occasions Bermadez has raced and said the galloper was suited to a mile on a roomy track like Flemington.

“I thought there looked a bit of pace on paper, but it didn’t work out that way. They went steady. When I was wide with cover the leaders really gave a good kick on straightening and took a bit of catching and he was good late.

“He’s been a quirky horse but a typical Tavistock, he’s taken a bit of time to put it together. 

“He’s always shown us nice potential but he’s just been a bit quirky and hasn’t put things together at times.

“Their patience has been rewarded now and he starting to put it all together.”

Bermadez was purchased out of Inglewood Stud’s 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $280,000 by Paul Moroney. Out of the Anabaa mare Pikea, herself a sister to Group Two winner Dances On Waves, it is the family of four-time Group One winner Preferment, who stands at Brighthill Farm.  – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Melbourne Cup Carnival (Bm80) 1600m

Flemington Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:36.76
1
Bermadez
- 5g Tavistock (NZ) x Pikea (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: D Oliver 55.5
MM Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale $0
Seller: Bhima Thoroughbreds, Scone, NSW (As Agent)
Buyer: Psd $90000 Res $100000
NZB Karaka Book 1 $140,000
Seller: Inglewood Stud
Buyer: Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock
2
0.3
Typhoon Harmony
- 5g Written Tycoon (AUS) x Jubilant Harmony (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Peter Gelagotis Rdr: Jye McNeil 55.5
3
0.5
Brazen Song
- 5m Brazen Beau (AUS) x Honor Hymn (USA) (Songandaprayer (USA))
Tnr: S P Nichols Rdr: D Yendall 56
4
0.6
Riot And Rose
- 4g Pins (AUS) x Lasting Luck (AUS) (Iglesia (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: L Nolen 59
5
1.8
Court Deep
- 5g Deep Field (AUS) x Court Flying (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Ben Allen 56
6
2.8
Legend Of Zorro
- 5g Toronado (IRE) x Healing Kiss (AUS) (Dr Fong (USA))
Tnr: Andrew Noblet Rdr: Patrick Moloney 60
7
3.1
Real Sensation
- 4g Real Impact (JPN) x My Thriller (AUS) (Artie Schiller (USA))
Tnr: Luke Oliver Rdr: W Egan 56.5
8
3.3
Cassius
- 5g Sebring (AUS) x Divine Choice (AUS) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: B Mc Dougall 55.5
9
3.4
Puckapunyal
- 5m Epaulette (AUS) x Page Three Girl (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: Declan Bates 54
10
3.5
Do You Reckon
- 6g So You Think (NZ) x Ashenti (AUS) (Ashkalani (IRE))
Tnr: Julius Sandhu Rdr: K Mc Evoy 58.5
11
3.7
Hello Broadcast
- 6g Dragon Pulse (IRE) x St Edith (IRE) (Desert King (IRE))
Tnr: E Jusufovic Rdr: Damian Lane 54
12
3.9
Hickok
- 4g Shooting To Win (AUS) x Monira (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: A W Noonan Rdr: J Noonan 54
13
4.7
Laffalong
- 5m All Too Hard (AUS) x Smiles For Layla (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: N A Blackiston Rdr: M J Dee 55.5
14
6.7
Cafe Tortoni
- 6g Reset (AUS) x Tortoni (AUS) (Strategic (AUS))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: J Bowman 58.5
15
7.7
Wardy Boy
- 6g Reward For Effort (AUS) x Invincible Belle (AUS) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: Lesia Masnyj Rdr: J Keating 54
16
7.9
My Boy Birmingham
- 4g Unencumbered (AUS) x Girls On Film (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Dean Holland 57.5
More Reading...
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.
Super Seth 3YO Salutes for Baker
A tenacious front-running performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill added a first city victory to Puntin’s burgeoning record.
Almanzor Stayer wins G3 Tattersalls Cup
It's been a long time since the  2022 Victoria Derby and some may have wondered whether the winner Manzoice was ever going to win again!
Red Right Out Wins MM Queensland Qualifier
The 2026 Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping will feature the third annual Queensland Off-The-Track Cup (QOTT) final on Sunday, 11 January 2026 at Doug Jennings Park on the Gold Coast. 
Corumbene Stud Homebred Tashi Wins G1 Tatts Tiara
From the last crop of foals sired by Widden Stud’s much missed Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring, five year-old mare Tashi may also be his final Group I winner as she produced a career best performance at Eagle Farm on Saturday to win the $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m).
Sires With Winners - Friday June 27
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Private Eye’s Half-Brother King’s Secret Wins Again
Although he may never reach the heights of his older half-brother Private Eye, a Group 1 winner and earner of more than $12m to date, connections of King’s Secret (Shalaa) are sure to have plenty of their own fun with the 3yo gelding winning at Rosehill on Saturday.
Tattersall’s Mile For The Inflictor - Under The Louvre’s Second SW
Third at Listed level before winning at Doomben, the Craig Cousins-trained The Inflictor (Under The Louvre) then tackled the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, and while not in the same league as winner War Wachine (Harry Angel), the 4yo gelding showed his class on Saturday to win the Listed BRC Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Miss Joelene Achieves Millionaire Status
This time last year, Miss Joelene was highlighting herself as one to watch for the future, having placed in the Group 2 The Roses and the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, and after a few runs behind the outstanding Antino (Redwood) this time in, a class drop on Saturday saw her record victory in the $200,000 Listed BRC Tattersall’s Gold Crown (2100m) at Eagle Farm.
Vinery Stud Announce Adam White as Interim Manager
From the 1st of July, Vinery Stud is pleased to announce the appointment of Adam White as Interim General Manager, following the resignation of Peter Orton. A dedicated and long-standing member of the Vinery team, Adam brings a wealth of experience and an in-depth understanding of both the business and the industry to this pivotal role.