Co-trainer David Hayes said they will up their sights in the autumn for the striking Oasis Dream gelding Pilote D'Essai (GB) after he cruised to victory in Saturday's $200,000 Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m).
After taking seven starts to break his duck in Australia, Pilote D'Essai (GB) made it two country cups in a row having captured the $300,000 Listed Ballarat Cup (2200m) a fortnight back.
Regan Bayliss was again positive on the 5yo gelding, taking him to an uncontested lead before Stephen Baster took up the running on Puccini after being caught out wide.
When Puccini rolled off the rail in the straight, Pilote D'Essai (GB) regained the
lea
uner a minimum of urging by Bayliss to defeat Puccini (Encosta de Lago) by 2 1/4-lengths with Little White Cloud (Dalakhani) a further 1 3/4-lengths off third. (photo Darryl Sherer)
David Hayes, who trains the winner in partnership with son Ben and Tom Dabernig, said increasing the distance had been the secret to the geldings improved form.
"I really feel we've found the key to him and that is racing him at 2000 metres and beyond," Hayes said.
"We were probably running him a bit short in the spring but he's a very reliable horse as it's turned out.
"He was pretty impressive today, he had it won a long way out.
"We'll get a big bag of cotton wool and wrap him up.
"He'll come back and we'll train him for the (Group I) Australian Cup.
"I feel he's the same class as Spillway, who we won an Australian Cup with, and we'll give this horse his chance. He's a bloody nice horse"
Winner over a mile at Maisons-Laffitte, Chantilly and Saint-Cloud and a close-up fourth in a Listed race at Maisons-Laffitte when trained by Andre Fabre, Pilote d'Essai was purchased by Astute Bloodstock for 230,000 guineas at the 2015 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training sale.
His second stakes success advances his record to 6 wins and 4 seconds from 14 starts with earnings of $471,763.
The Hollywood handsome son of Juddmonte Farm's Oasis Dream is a half-brother to Group 1 Prix Ganay winner Planteur (Danehill Dancer).
His dam, the unraced Giant's Causeway mare Plante Rare, is a half-sister to three stakes winners from the family of Peintre Celebre,
Pawnesse and Policy Maker.
