Exciting juvenile colt Prague took his record to two wins in as many starts with a stunning victory in the Canonbury Stakes at Randwick.
Phoenix Thoroughbreds and partners can now chart a course towards the Golden Slipper after the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trainee oozed class in the Group Three contest.
Having won impressively on his debut the son of Redoute’s Choice was well backed as he stepped back to 1100m, but any doubts that this would be on the sharp side were quickly dispelled. Under red-hot English jockey Tom Marquand, Prague was half a step slow from the barriers but was soon up with the pace tracking the leader. Turning into the home straight Marquand asked his partner to go, and the pair were soon in the lead. Initially, Prague looked a touch inexperienced when in front but soon pulled clear for a comfortable two-length victory.
“I had a bit of a feeling about him today,” said Maher who was on hand to oversee his runners at Randwick. “With the shades on and how he had come on in his coat from his first-up run, there is a bit of timing about him,”
“He’s a very relaxed customer and I think he still has a lot of improvement in him. He’ll take a lot from that today he actually pricked his ears and started to work out what it’s all about.
“He is a lovely physical and has a very bright future. He’s a natural with a beautiful temperament so he ticks all the boxes so it’s pretty exciting.”
Prague holds entries for both the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 22 and the Golden Slipper a month later.