Making a belated career debut following his scratching at the barrier at Sandown on March 6, the 4-year-old Savabeel debutant Fields Of Courage made it worth the wait with a hugely impressive performance in Wednesday's Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Maiden Plate (1300m) at Sandown-Hillside.
Settled midfield by Mark Zahra, the Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson-trained gelding came with a barnstorming finish to defeat the honest 3-year-old I Amn Immortal gelding Athantos by a length with the 3-year-old So You Think debutant Mollify two lengths back in third.
Fields Of Courage is Thompson's first winner since joining forces with Mike Moroney.
"He could not have been more impressive," Thompson said.
"It's good to get him to the races finally. He has always shown a fair bit at home. Mark has done a fair bit on him in jumpouts and was keen on him.
"He has no issues; it was a time and maturity thing. We will see how he comes through today, but there is no reason not to keep going."
Sporting the colours of Ruper Legh, Fields Of Courage was a $425,000 buy for P Moroney / C Bruggeman / Hong Kong Bloodstock from the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Bred by Bloomsbury Stud, the son of Savabeel is the second winner from as many to race for the O'Reilly mare Pander, a half-sister to multiple Group winner and near $2,000,000 earner Precedence.
Pander's final foal is a 2-year-old Prosir filly named Precede.
