Racing in career-best form, last start Sale Cup hero Milton Park took another step up in his career with an all the way win in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
Travelling sweetly for Jarrod Fry, the John Moloney-trained son of Written Tycoon gave a kick around the turn. The 4yo gelding stuck on resolutely to defeat the Chris Waller-trained Skyman (GB) (Mukhadram) by a long-neck with the with the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Charleise (Foxwedge) a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
With his second stakes success, Milton Park advances his record to seven wins, a second, and a third from 17 starts with earnings of $549,205.
"We don't get many chances at Flemington with a nice horse, but today we did. and he was able to do the job," Moloney said.
"He's got that big stride and knows how to lengthen. He enjoys being a racehorse. You can't take that off an animal.
"I think I'll stop with him now. He's only four and he's going to get better. We can have a bit more fun with him in the autumn.
"If you look after the animals, they will improve if you don't knock them out. He likes bigger tracks. He ran alright at Caulfield, but he likes the bigger tracks - Flemington, Sale, Ballarat."
Bred and owned by Meridy Taite and Julie Sampson, Milton Park is the best of six winners from seven to race out of the stakes-winning Flying Spur mare Gawne.
Milton Park's half-sister Matron (O'Reilly) is the dam of the Listed VRC Exford Plate winner Legionnaire (Stratum).
Gawne is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 WATC Railway Stakes winner Great Shot (Magnus) and a half-sister to Nine Covers, the dam of the dual Group III winner Casino Dancer (Casino Prince).
The dam of Gawne, Satin Covers (Dr Grace), is a daughter of the Group 1 STC Orlando Classic winner Satin Sand.
Gawne has a 2yo colt by So You Think and foaled a filly by Shooting To Win on September 28.
Australia's reigning Champion Stallion Written Tycoon stands at Yulong Stud at a fee of $165,000 (inc gst)