Victorian colt Prestar has given trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy a positive dilemma after scoring an eye-catching win at Randwick’s Kensington track on Wednesday, forcing consideration of whether to remain in Sydney for upcoming three-year-old features.
Resuming for the first time since his placing on the Caloundra Cup program in July, Prestar ($3.40) produced a sharp finishing burst to upset hot favourite Johnny by half a length in the Schweppes Handicap (1150m). The victory has the stable weighing up a tilt at carnival races.
Tony McEvoy said the son of Zoustar had long been regarded as a horse of real promise with the ability to measure up to black-type company.
“Really impressive young horse. A horse we’ve got a lot of time for,” Tony McEvoy said.
“He is still working it all out and I thought he was fantastic today.
“I think he is a black-type horse. After his maiden I went straight to black-type and I asked him to do something that he couldn’t do. He just got it all wrong and he didn’t have the experience and you get exposed pretty quickly at Listed level.
“I’ll talk to (jockey) Ash (Morgan) to see where he thinks he’ll fit and whether we stay and run in another stakes race here like a Run To The Rose or whether we should be running a bit lower than that.”
Morgan, who enjoyed a breakthrough season highlighted by his Group 1 success on Private Harry in the Galaxy (1100m), has been keen to continue his partnership with Prestar after riding him to a Sunshine Coast placing in July.
He was impressed by the colt’s sharp acceleration at Kensington and believes it could carry him to success over longer distances.
“I loved him when I rode him at the ‘Sunny’ Coast and I was filthy I got beaten,” Morgan said.
“He crabbed a little around the turn (at Kensington) but when he balanced up he let rip. I was really surprised to see one near me because I feel like I really let go of him to put the race to bed.
“If he can hold that turn of foot over a longer trip he is a very good horse.”
Meanwhile, the Ciaron Maher-trained Siriusly Hot ($16) captured the other three-year-old race on the program, making an immediate impact in his first start as a gelding. Jockey Chad Schofield said the result never felt in doubt once the field straightened.
“The way he quickened at the top of the straight, that’s why I could pick anywhere to go because I had so much horse underneath me. He was a class above,” Schofield said.
Siriusly Hot had five runs as a two-year-old, highlighted by a placing behind Vinrock, later winner of the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes in February.
Punters considering Prestar’s next steps, whether in a race like the Run To The Rose or further down the line, can find the best markets and offers via Australia’s top betting sites.