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MELBOURNE - Cox Plate favourite Marasco could be a surprise runner at Moonee Valley next week after he shrugged off his Melbourne maiden tag with a hard-fought win in yesterday's group two Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.
Fred Kersley admitted he was relieved to see his runner finally get a victory in his other Victorian starts.
"The horse has raced very well in every race he's had here but it is nice to get that first win up," Kersley said. "The fact he has measured up to the best of them, I am very happy about."
Ridden by Darren Beadman, Marasco settled fourth, six lengths off Maldivian, who led by a length from Apache Cat at the home turn. Beadman said Marasco "went to sleep" but awoke when he dug him up to make his run.
Apache Cat got past Maldivian - but could not hold off Marasco, who hit the lead at the 100m mark and went on to score by three-quarters of a length.
Moonee Valley Cup winner Zipping, who was resuming, finished strongly and was 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
All Marasco's previous Melbourne starts had been at Caulfield. Kersley said Marasco, who has now won nine of his 17 starts, appreciated the bigger track at Flemington. "I think Caulfield is trickier. It is not an open track where they can sit back, and his racing pattern is to sit back early.
"Today he was able to race the way he is seen at his best. I particularly liked the way, when Darren (Beadman) sat off them, he picked them up reasonably quickly."
Kersley is concerned about how Marasco will adjust to tight-turning Moonee Valley and will decide today whether to nominate him for Saturday's Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m). "A couple of sleeps will tell me when his next run will be, but it might even be next week," he said.
The Dato Tan is the last chance for Marasco to race at the Valley before the Cox Plate, on October 27.
- AAP
