With a parting gift that's hard to beat, stud-bound Tivaci snapped his Group One duck to win the All Aged Stakes at Randwick today.
In what may turn out to be his last start, the Mike Moroney-trained Tivaci surged from near last to snatch the weight-for-age feature from Le Romain by a neck.
He defied a trend of Randwick winners again being on the speed as veteran jockey Damien Oliver produced an unflustered ride to boost his Group One collection to 110.
The four-year-old's previous best results in a Group One were minor placings in the Cantala Stakes and Toorak Handicap.
"It's terrific. He's been placed in a lot of Group Ones, he deserved to get one here," Moroney said. "It's very timely because it's been widely speculated he's going to stud."
Moroney confirmed New Zealand's Waikato Stud beckons but the Queensland winter carnival might still be a possibility.
"We'll have a bit of a meeting now as to whether we race on or whether he goes now," he said.
After a promising fourth placing in the TJ Smith Stakes, Moroney was confident the All Aged Stakes could supply the coveted Group One for the son of High Chaparral.
"I watched him on the course proper on Wednesday, and he galloped terrific. He was just glowing here today. I said to Ollie he's as relaxed as I've seen him."
Oliver, who won his first All Aged Stakes aboard Hurricane Sky in 1995, suggested Tivaci might warrant a trip north.
"He is an ideal sort of horse for those races, 1400 metres is a great trip for him."
Last year's winner English, the $3.70 favourite, finished sixth.
"She travelled super, loomed to win but when I let her down she just floundered in the going," jockey Blake Shinn said.
