New Zealand colt Saracino had an immediate impact in Melbourne, upstaging his rivals in the Group Two Danehill Stakes at Flemington.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained 3-year-old defeated older horses in a group two race in New Zealand in his season return last month before heading to Melbourne for the spring.
Saracino raced right on the speed in yesterday's straight 1200m sprint against his own age and kept finding under jockey Damien Oliver to defeat Godolphin-owned colt Archives by a long neck. Samara Dancer, the only filly in the race, was another three-quarters of a length away third.
"I thought it was a very brave effort. He was in front a long way out," Baker said. "He kept kicking all the way up the straight which is a good effort at Flemington.
"You'd like to think he could make the Caulfield Guineas but who knows, he might not be a miler. He might be just a straight sprinter.