Extreme Choice was expected to sire the winner of the juvenile maiden at Sunshine Coast on Sunday with highly rated short priced favourite Extreemarty, but he came up short against improving colt Refuel, the first two year old winner of the new season for his sire Power (GB).
Trained by Tom Button, Refuel was having his third start and has improved sharply from run to run.
Sixth on debut at Eagle Farm in October when he raced greenly, Refuel was then a good second at Rockhampton on November 5.
With race fitness and experience on his side, Refuel stalked the leaders and was far too strong over the concluding stages to win the 1000m dash by half a length running away.
Not offered at auction, Refuel is a half-brother to stakes-placed La Dolce Vita and is the fourth winner from Tsuimai mare Zerotami.
A Group I winning son of Oasis Dream, Power stands at Oaklands Stud at a fee of $13,200.
Power has enjoyed phenomenal success this year siring 11 stakes-winners since January 1 headed by his Group I winning trio Sonnyboyliston (Irish St Leger), Helvic Dream (Curragh Tattersalls Gold Cup) and Laws of Indices (Deauville Prix Jean Prat), who is now in Australia and trained by Annabel Neasham.
Laws of Indices finished a good fifth in the $7.5million Golden Eagle at his first Australian run and promises to be a force during the Autumn Carnival next year.
