Torryburn Stud's admirably consistent Fastnet Rock homebred Deploy earned a well-deserved maiden stakes win in Saturday's Group II Moreton Cup (1200m) at Doomben.
The 4yo gelding earned a free ticket into next week's $1.5 million Group I Stradbroke Handicap, however, he is no certainty to take his place.
Ridden by Tim Clark for Rosehill-based trainer Gerald Ryan, the tenacious Deploy fought off a stubborn Dothraki (Mossman) by a long neck with Perfect Dare (Fastnet Rock) a length and a half back in third.
"At this stage he's a Group Two winner and there's a lot of races that are suitable for him apart from the Stradbroke," Sterling Alexiou, representing trainer Gerald Ryan, told AAP.
"He's always shown super ability at home and he's come on in leaps and bounds his past two preparations.
"For him to come to a Group Two today and win is fantastic."
Alexiou said the Group Three Healy Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on June 24 shaped as the next winter carnival goal for Deploy.
A $450,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Torryburn Stud draft, Deploy runs for a syndicate that includes his breeder as well as Segenhoe Thoroughbreds and David Raphael's Stallion Racing.
The son of Fastnet Rock has been off the board just once in 13 starts.
He has recorded five wins and a second from six starts this season with his overall record standing at 6 wins, 5 seconds and 1 third from 13 starts with earnings of $389,435.
He is one of four winners from as many to race out of Torryburn Stud's much loved Red Ransom (USA) mare Crimson Reign A Group III winner of almost $1 million.
A Sebring colt out of Crimson Reign failed to make his $150,000 reserve at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Crimson Reign has a weanling colt by Smart Missile and was covered by Pride Of Dubai last spring.
Deploy becomes the 118th stakes winner for Coolmore Stud's champion stallion Fastnet Rock (photo Mark Smith) whose daughter Alluringly ran third in yesterday's Group I Epsom Oaks.
