Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick is dreaming of spring carnival riches with his well-bred colt Rancho Montoya after the impressive three-year-old beat older rivals at Doomben on Saturday.
The son of High Chaparral looks like he could mature into a top-class stayer after grinding away to power over the opposition in the Class Three Plate (1615m).
Rancho Montoya ($4.60) beat Ahndras ($4) by half a length, with another long head to Glen Ord ($101), to firm up Kendrick's plans to take the colt to Melbourne.
It is likely he will target the Group III Caulfield Classic (2000m) in October, a race which is a traditional Victoria Derby lead-up.
Kendrick had Rancho Montoya in the stable for 14 months before he unleashed him with a runaway win at Ipswich in June but the Doomben win was his first city triumph after two recent placings in town over unsuitable shorter trips.
Kendrick will wait and see how the colt pulls up but the owners are extremely keen for a Melbourne mission.
"He looks like a stayer, all he wants to do is stay and stay and stay," Kendrick said.
"He loomed up at Doomben today and then really ground it out.
"He is a beautiful looking colt and the further he goes the better he will get."
"There is still a lot of developing he needs to do but it is hard to ignore some of these good Melbourne races."
Rancho Montoya's jockey Robbie Fradd indicated the colt "still had a lot to learn'' but insisted he had huge talent which would take him a long way at the highest level.
Another promising Brisbane three-year-old, Cellargirl, was beaten into second in the 3YO Handicap (1350m) but trainer Kelly Schweida said the plan remained the Group I Golden Rose.
Filly Cellargirl is likely to join stablemate Shogun Sun in the Golden Rose at Rosehill later this month after her fast-finishing 1 ΒΌ defeat by Snitz at Doomben.
Cellargirl hasn't mustered any early speed in her last two starts but boasts a powerful finish and Schweida feels the Golden Rose could be run to suit.
It was also a day where comeback jockey Darryl "Digger'' McLellan rode his first winner since being badly injured at a fall at Newcastle in 2011.
McLellan, who has ridden more than 1000 winners including 2002 Sydney Cup winner Henderson Bay, rode Hanover Square ($11) to win for Toby Edmonds at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Brisbane trainer Bradley Smith has had his license suspended as he failed to inform the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission he was facing criminal charges.
"The charges relate to the alleged fraudulent sale of shares in a racehorse and the alleged forgery of transfer of ownership forms," QRIC commissioner Ross Barnett said.
Deagon-based Smith has been unable to attend some QRIC stewards inquiries due to ill health in recent months and had denied the charges which he is expected to contest in court.
