Dee I Cee has claimed an upset, but timely first win for Tulloch Lodge in the Listed Premier's Cup at Rosehill as he heads to the Metropolitan Handicap.
The winner of two races in New Zealand in 2015 as a three-year-old, Dee I Cee came to Gai Waterhouse with high expectations.
He ran second in last year's Newcastle Cup before running eighth in the Group One Metropolitan Handicap, a path he will follow again.
Ridden by Rachel King, Dee I Cee ($41) was strong to the line at the end of Saturday's 1900m race, overhauling race lader Classic Uniform ($3.40 fav) to win by 2-1/4 lengths.
Waterhouse and her training partner Adrian Bott also had the well-supported Broadside ($4.60) but he weakened to finish last of the eight runners.
"He didn't really come up last time in the autumn," Bott said.
"But he had had the grounding for a race like this. He has no early speed but Rachel rode him perfectly.
"He will probably follow the same path as last year to the Newcastle Cup and Metropolitan and hopefully he can improve on what he did last year."
King said the secret to Dee I Cee was to have him in the right frame of mind.
"I just tried to keep him happy," she said.
"He travelled like a stayer today and I was confident he was fit and well."
Caryl Williamson - AAP
