The Moloney family will get a clearer read on where talented colt Express Class sits among his peers when he lines up in Stakes company at Caulfield this Saturday.

Trainer Gerard Moloney and his jockey son Patrick unveiled Express Class with a strong debut victory in a two-year-old handicap at Sandown on the final day of the 2024/25 season, and have opted to throw him into the deep end in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m).

Patrick Moloney admitted they had always suspected the youngster possessed an X-factor, but the perceived depth of his Sandown debut field made them cautious. Sent out at $31, Express Class unleashed a sharp finish to win by half a length.

“We knew we had a good one — he’d shown us plenty,” Moloney said. “With the hype around the others, we might have looked elsewhere, but there wasn’t another race to suit. He was ready to start his prep, so we rolled the dice. We thought he’d run well, but not necessarily win given the buzz about the opposition.”

Moloney sees Saturday’s rise from a midweek maiden to Stakes grade as a valuable benchmark, while acknowledging the colt’s relative inexperience. “The others are into their second and third preps, he’s only in his first,” he said. “It’s a big step, but he’s improving all the time and what he’s doing now is a bonus ahead of the autumn.”

Since that Sandown win, Express Class has been kept ticking over in good order. “He’s fit, he’s not been blazing at home but he’s ready,” Moloney said. “He’ll need to lift again on Saturday, that’s for sure.”