Astute trainer Mark Kavanagh unleashed an impressive first starter at Sandown on Monday with Dissident gelding Ellis Park surging clear for an eye-catching win.
Sent out favourite, he tracked the leader for Craig Williams and powered away to win the 1300 metre maiden by more than a length.
"He's the real deal. We'll just see how far he takes us," Mark Kavanagh said. "He's a ripping type of a horse. We had to take our time with him but once we knew he was fair dinkum we cuddled him up.
“I never rush my horses anyway but we certainly cuddled him up and gave him every bit of time. He's very raw. He's very green. But he did level them out and put them right away today. There's a tonne of improvement in him."
A $170,000 Inglis Classic purchase for his trainer from the Kitchwin Hills draft, Ellis Park is the first winner for Springbok Girl, a half-sister by Flying Spur to Group III winner Pittsburgh Flyer.
The full brother to Ellis Park was offered at Karaka this week and passed in shy of his $60,000 reserve.
Ellis Park is one of 17 Australian winners this season for Dissident, who has 18 entries for the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
