Premier trainer Roy Chillemi gave promising three-year-old Higher Realm a rave review after the gelding powered to a brilliant first-up win at Cluden Park on Friday.
One of the top two-year-olds of last season, Higher Realm waltzed away to an effortless win in the Three-Years-Old Benchmark 60 Hcp (1000m).
“I was very happy with that. He really put them to the sword,” Chillemi said.
“He’s a big heavy horse who really felt his knees as a two-year-old. He probably should have won the Great Northern Classic.
“I’ve given him time off and he’s now running sound. He showed his true potential on Friday.
“I’m not getting carried away because there are some very good three-year-olds in Mackay and Rockhampton but I think he’s got a very good future.
“You’ve got to look at the long term and I think in time he’s a potential Cleveland Bay Hcp horse.”
Chillemi said he would space the gelding’s run and target the richer prizemoney of the Jewel three-year-old races.”
Mackay gun I Did It Again the lofty plans of his trainer-jockey Trinity Bannon after he careered to his fifth straight win in the Open Hcp (1000m).
Starting a long odds-on favourite, the former Victorian galloper led throughout to win by two and three-quarters of a length in 56.32.
“I’ll look for an 1100m race and try and ride him with a sit now. He’s leading and winning in the sprints but in the stronger races ahead like the Mackay Newmarket you have to be more tactical,” Bannon said.
“When he was in Melbourne he ran his best race coming from off the pace.
“There’s always an option of going for a race in Brisbane. I’ve never won a race in the city and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Meanwhile, Cluden trainer Terry Butts made a welcome return to the winner’s stall with the gritty Cleo’s Poet in the Baker Memorial Class 4 Hcp (1609m).
Taken to the front by jockey Denny Smith, Cleo’s Poet fought bravely to win in a tough finish by a long head over Maquereau.
Pictured: Jockey Stephen Wilson returns to scale after higher realm’s triumphant return to racing. Photo by Mike Mills.