Sovereign Nation has earned a crack at Group I targets in the spring following his comfortable win in Saturday's Graeme McMenamin Handicap (1400m) at Flemington.
Photo: Darryl Sherer
Allowed to settle towards the rear in the small field as Onerous set the pace, Sovereign Nation ($2.35 fav) came with a powerful finish in the straight to hit the front 200m out and draw away to defeat Tally ($7.50) by 4 1/4-lengths with Tried And Tired ($8.50) a further two lengths away third.
Gelded following a spring campaign last year, Sovereign Nation has now won two of his four starts since and co-trainer Tom Dabernig said the five-year-old is a better horse for it.
"He's been racing better since he was gelded and loves being fresh," Dabernig, who trains Sovereign Nation in partnership with David and Ben Hayes, said.
"I think the 1400m, maybe up to a mile, is his best distance,"
Sovereign Nation was raced by his breeder Gerry Harvey but now races for a partnership including Mark Pilkington and Darren Thomas following his purchase last month.
Dabernig said he feels Sovereign Nation is an ideal horse for Group I handicaps in the spring.
"We have been thinking that he could be a Group I style of handicap horse down in the weights," Dabernig said.
"A race like the Toorak Handicap looks an obvious race to suit him."
Bayliss said the gelding of Sovereign Nation has made a significant difference to his application on race day.
"I rode him at his last start as a colt at Sandown and although he was a nice horse he didn't know how to put a field away," Bayliss said.
"Now that's he's come back a gelding he's got that will to win and has had a faultless campaign."
Bayliss completed a double when guiding Swampland ($4.80) to victory two races later in the Mark Young Handicap (1400m).
