DROP BACK IN GRADE SEES PHOENIX RISE

A drop in class  has seen Phoenix Global bounce back into the winner's circle at Pakenham on Thursday night.

After winning impressively first time out for his new stable at Ballarat in February, the four-year-old was taken to town as the favourite in the Grand Handicap Sprint, but he took charge of the rider and finished unplaced.

"He was much more tractable tonight as it really helped that one went out hard and gave him something to follow," jockey Ethan Brown said of the heavy track win.

"He always felt the winner and when we able to be the first horse out onto the best ground, he was going to be hard to get past. It was a strong performance."

The win the son of All Too Hard's third from 11 career starts, and second in three times out for new trainer Danny O'Brien.

Pic by Racing Photos