Seventh to Irish Bet in the Inglis Nursery before Christmas, the Mark Newnham trained youngster was third at his most recent start at Canterbury to Sandbar, who won the Listed ATC Lonhro Plate at the start of the meeting.
With Sandbar's win franking the form of The Enzo, Newnham said he was quietly
confident his charge would make his presence felt in the 1200m dash.The Enzo charged home for Josh Parr from back in the field to beat race favourite Sanctimonious by half a neck.
"He was strong late last start after a really steady mid-section of the race which disadvantaged him. But coming here today in a full field and high pressure race I knew he'd be strong late," Newnham said.
The Enzo collected $142,250 for the win but as the race was restricted to Inglis graduates only, none of that prizemoney will count towards a Golden Slipper start.
However, Newnham is not perturbed as he believes he will be better suited in races like the Group I Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) and Group I Champagne Stakes (1600m) later in the autumn.
"I see him more of a seven furlong-mile horse. Today was a great race to win but it was a restricted race so it might be better to just pick and choose our races with him because I'm not sure he'd be suited in the Slipper," Newnham said.
"He was a nice type as a yearling. We liked him straight away and Sydney racing is all about two-year-olds – the bigger owners and breeders want to see you win these sorts of races because they spend a lot of money."
The Enzo was a $50,000 Inglis Classic Yearling purchase from the Lustre Lodge draft and is the first winner for Sebring mare Danica, who comes from a European Black Type family.
The yearling colt from Danica by Deep Field fetched $170,000 during the Gold Riband session at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale on Saturday night for Lustre Lodge when snapped up by renowned judge Alan Bell.
He is the 37th stakes-winner for much missed Widden stud stalwart Stratum and is the first stakes-winner for Sebring as a broodmare sire.
