Overcoming a tricky wide draw, the Joe Pride-trained Attica ($4) showed tremendous grit to claim victory in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes.

In a masterfully judged ride by Adam Hyeronimus, Attica stormed home to defeat race favourite Shangri La Boy ($3.20F) by a short neck, with The Pearls ($21) finishing another 2½ lengths back in third. Longshot leader Tambeloa ($201) battled on bravely for fourth.

The Lonhro colt has made rapid progress this spring, winning a Group 1 title in just his fourth career start since debuting at the start of September.

Trainer Joe Pride was full of admiration for the emerging Godolphin star and believes there is plenty more to come.

“Spring Champion is a very nice race, a group one, but there’s still a lot to be done with this horse,” Pride said.

“Bear in mind it’s his first preparation, the manner of that win I thought he had too much to do at the furlong.

“Chasing the favourite, but just the way he pinned his ears back and attacked the line. Two-thousand metres no problem.”

Hyeronimus, who had partnered Shangri La Boy to victory at his past two starts, knew the danger well after riding the runner-up in trackwork earlier in the week.

“I’ve ridden the second horse and I didn’t know if Adrian (Bott) was trying to play mind games with me, but I galloped it through the week and I know how good he is going,” Hyeronimus said.

“To my horse’s credit, he was always picking him up.

“The final one hundred and fifty metres I had them covered and he was too strong late.”

Pride said Attica will now head for a spell before returning for major autumn targets.

“He’ll go straight to the paddock now, he’s just a really exciting horse,” Pride said.

“It would be nice to see if we can get him a bit sharper in the autumn and aim up at races like the Randwick Guineas, but we’ll worry about all of that later on.”

If you’re backing future Group 1 stars like Attica, check odds and offers from top Australian betting sites such as Sportsbet, Ladbrokes and TAB.