Maribyrnong winner Millions-bound

Race experience proved the key as Prompt Return made it two wins from two starts in Saturday’s $150,000 Racing.com Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington.

A $60,000 purchase at the 2013 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, trainer Danny O’Brien said the son of Beneteau would now probably head to the $200,000 Clockwise Classic (1000m) at Ballarat in a fortnight.

“He’s a very nice colt. He went to Bendigo for what was a barrier trial really and he came home and he has improved a lot in the three weeks since then,” O’Brien said.

“He’s been very dominant today in what has historically been a good guide for the two-year-old season.

“He is a Magic Millions (nominated) horse so I’ll have a chat with Mark Sowerby and Ron Hamer (owners), see how the horse pulls up and then see where we’ll go in the autumn.”

After beginning quickly, jockey James Winks decided to stay to the inside as the field split into two divisions, where Prompt Return ($19) travelled sweetly near the lead before sprinting clear at the 400m mark and scoring a two-length win over Old Trieste ($21), with Sailing By ($11) a further half-length away in third.

Prompt Return’s victory provided Winks with his first success of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to sit on a number of good two-year-olds and three-year-olds this season but the natural improvement this horse has made since Bendigo has been incredible and with the win today I’m just glad that he lived up to it,” Winks said.

“He was only able to come here today because of how professional he is. He was in front a long, long way out, he was out there by himself for a while which is a big thing for a two-year-old. He put in a big strong gallop and he’s a very good horse.”

Story by Ben Asgari, to view full Racing.com story click here

Photo by Slickpix Vic, to view their website click here