Progressive stayer Nonconformist has booked his spot in the Caulfield Cup next month after scoring a brave win in the Group III MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Grahame Begg trained son of dual Derby hero Rebel Raider is one of those horses that always manages to win a nice race each season taking the Group II MVRC Alister Clarke Stakes at three and the Group III MRC Coongy Cup last spring.
Fourth in the Group II MVRC Feehan Stakes at his second run back from a spell, Nonconformist was cherry ripe for today’s assignment and well ridden by Jordan Childs to score a short head win over blue blood Galileo import Delphi.
"It was a great ride, he executed it very well and I'm very pleased for Jordan (Childs)," Begg said.
"The horse races really well here and we're delighted."
Bred and retained to race by the Henwood family, Nonconformist has the overall record of five wins and six placings from 17 starts with prizemoney in excess of $654,000.
He is one of only two foals from Good Thinking, who died in 2019. She was a three time winner by Hold That Tiger (USA) from a female family going back to the good New Zealand producer Dancing Maid, whose descendants include Group I winners Jennifer Eccles and Sacred Kingdom.
Nonconformist is the best of four stakes-winners by Rebel Raider, who died in 2019.