The Ciaron Maher-trained four-year-old Bon Aurum exploded back into the winners circle at Flemington on Saturday when leaving a talented field in his wake in the Listed The Sofitel (1400m).
The son of Bon Hoffa was registering his first win since taking out the Group III Caulfield Guineas Prelude almost 12 months ago.
With Craig Williams in the saddle, Bon Aurum overpowered Ulmann (Sebring) by two lengths with Hi World (High Chaparral) a length and a half back in third. (photo Grant Courtney).
"He's out of a mare called
In earning his third stakes win, Bon Aurum advances his overall record to 4 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 12 starts with earnings of $284,550.
"It was a great effort he was a bit out of form last prep so we sent him down to Warrnambool," Maher said. "They have done a great job with him there.
"He's a horse who has had a few little issues. He put the writing on the wall at his last start - we dropped him back in class and now have stepped him up again. You could really see in his coat that he had come on so its great job by the staff.
"He had a chip removed from his knee after his spring campaign and he just struggled to find his form. Off a good break and a nice preparation, it looks like he is back to his best.
"We'll keep raising the bar – we might have a look at the (Group 1) Rupert Clarke Stakes."
A homebred for Ken King's Parador Park, Bon Aurum is the third foal and third winner out of the Promontory Gold (USA) mare
Goldsmobile has a 3yo colt by Domesday named Golden State. She has not had a foal since but it has not been through the want of trying. She slipped to Kuroshio in 2014 and was covered by Kuroshio, Helmet and Bon Hoffa last spring but missed to them all.