Snitzel's Thronum All The Way in Australia Stakes

Facing the starter for the first time since finishing third behind Jungle Ruler in the Group III Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Sandown back in November, Thronum jumped straight to the front and led at every call in the Group II Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Thursday night.

Ridden by Mark Zahra for trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, the 4yo son of Snitzel came clear to win by a length and a quarter from Mr Sneaky (High Chaparral) with Stellar Collision a long-neck back in third. (photo Grant Courtney )

It was the second stakes success for the Sun Stud colour-bearer advancing his record to 5 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 10 starts with earnings of $329,250

"He's a nice ride because he's got good gate speed," Zahra said.

"Once I was there I was able to get him to relax and he gave me a real nice kick at the top of the straight and was going to be hard to run down.

"He had injuries early and since the Hayes team have got him he has been flying."

Previously the winner of the Listed Rosebud at Randwick, Thronum (pictured as a yearling ) played a little part in history that day as the first stakes-winner for the newly formed partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

He was placed in the Up And Coming Stakes but lost his way after that and was transferred to Lindsay Park where he showed he had regained the form that made him one of the most promising three-year-olds around.

"He came to us from Gai Waterhouse. He's a horse that has a stack of ability," Tom Dabernig said.

"We have only had him for the three runs.

"He won at Bendigo and narrowly missed at Sandown at WFA. Tonight, I thought he controlled the race and gave a good kick.

"He's a well-bred colt with a stack of ability. We've got a lot of options we will be going for a Group 1 win with him now.

"I'm not sure if it's going to be a sprint like an Oakleigh Plate or a Newmarket or whether we go to 14 (hundred metres) in a CF Orr.

"Well done to Sun Stud who put a lot into the industry so it's nice for them to win a feature race."

A $300,000 purchase by Sun Stud out of the Highgrove Stud draft at the 2015 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Thronum is the second foal of the Canadian winner Helena's Secret (USA) (Five Star Day) a half-sister to stakes-winner Tears I Cry (USA) (Chester House) out of the Danzig mare Mount Helena who is a half-sister to champion Street Cry (Machiavellian) out of the Irish Oaks winner Helen Street (Troy).

Highgrove will consign a Sebring half-sister to Thronum at the 2018 Inglis Australia Easter Yearling Sale.

Helena's Secret (USA) has a colt foal by Snitzel and was bred back to Arrowfield Stud's champion son of Redoute's Choice.