Rhythm to Spare might be one of Victoria’s most promising middle-distance gallopers, but the rising four-year-old is unlikely to be set for anything too arduous this Spring Racing Carnival. A low rating, despite fine efforts at Black Type level in his first Australian campaign, means he would need to do some work to gain a start in the feature races, leaving trainer Mike Moroney more intent on next year’s Melbourne Festival of Racing.

“He’s back in the stable but we haven’t got any plans for him because he’s got a bit to do to make (feature) races,” Moroney said.

“Hopefully we can still make our way through the Spring, but we haven’t got a Grand Final for him by any means.

“Our first thoughts are that we’re not going to overtax him for this Spring, he will be more so for next autumn.”

Rhythm to Spare has not started since his fourth placing in the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) on 8 June. Before that he finished second in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) after winning at Bendigo and Sportingbet Park (Sandown) at first two Australian starts.

The son of Pins crossed the Tasman having run second at his only two starts, including one behind subsequent Waikato Guineas winner and New Zealand Derby placegetter Castlzeberg.

Rhythm to Spare’s stablemate Zazparella had Moroney in the Sportingbet Park winner’s stall after today’s $35,000 Sportingbet Maxidiv Handicap.

The daughter of Al Maher produced a fighting performance under in-form apprentice jockey Patrick Moloney to get home by a neck from Chloestar and Precious Gem in the 1600m event.

It justified Moroney’s decision to resist the temptation to scratch because of the Heavy 10 surface.

“I almost scratched last night, I was starting to worry it would be too heavy because this track’s been pretty testing, but she’s coming towards the end of her campaign so we thought we’d roll the dice,” he said.

“It was a good tough win and a good ride. He looked as though he was going to get a little bit further back than what we wanted, but he gave her a little bit of a dig to hold her spot and that’s probably what won her the race in the finish.”

The full result of the Sportingbet Maxidiv Handicap is available via this link with Rhythm to Spare’s profile accessible here