Trainer Adrian Bott is reconsidering his initial plan to spell Fully Lit after the gelding produced a commanding display at Rosehill, returning to the form that made him a standout juvenile. Winner of the 2024 Inglis Millennium, Fully Lit had endured a mixed five-start campaign this season, but Saturday’s dominant victory in the Precise Air Handicap (1400m) has connections thinking twice about ending his preparation.

Sent out at $12 and ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, Fully Lit surged clear to demolish his rivals by 5-1/4 lengths, leaving Anythink Goes ($14) and Puntin ($6) to fill the placings. The performance was a stark contrast to earlier runs where Bott admitted the gelding had struggled to recapture his two-year-old spark.

“I came here today thinking that may just be the end of the prep, given he’d had a few runs and copped some heavy tracks,” Bott said. “But maybe he’s only just starting to hit his straps now. We’ll see how he pulls up, but I’m sure he’ll take plenty of confidence from this.”

Key to the turnaround was a change in gear and tactics, with the blinkers coming off two starts ago. Bott explained the move helped settle Fully Lit, who had previously been prone to over-racing when positioned outside the lead. The trainer now plans to keep the gelding progressing through the grades rather than chasing lofty spring targets.