Purchased on Inglis Digital in March, Okita Soushi (IRL) chose the right spot to break his duck in Australia in Friday night's $750,000 Group II Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m).
Ridden by Billy Egan for Ciaron Maher, the 7-year-old son of Galileo took charge before rounding the home turn and held on to defeat the former English Derby winner Serpentine (Galileo), by a half-length with the former NZ Horse Of The Year, Sharp 'N' Smart (Redwood) back in third.
An honest performer in Ireland, Joseph O'Brien brought Okita Soushi (IRL) out to Australia last year for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups after finishing third in the Group III St Leger Trial at The Curragh having captured the valuable Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at his previous start.
He failed to strike a blow in either Cup and was left in Australia with Ciaron Maher.
Okita Soushi (IRL) indicated he was on the rise when finishing second to Herman Hesse (Frankel) in the Herbert Power Stakes (2400m).
Purchased by Alana Maree for $185,000 in March on Inglis Digital, the son of Galileo advances his record to five wins, three seconds and three thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $851,460.
"He's just a classic stayer that wants twelve furlongs," assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said.
"Once you get him to that level and at a level of fitness, he excels. He showed that last start, and he's gone on and done it again today. He's in really good form.
"It's always been the long-term plan (the Melbourne Cup) when he came to us off the back of his last campaign in spring. It's really good and pleasing when things work out in terms of timing. We're very thankful for Rohit. He's given us the horse off the back of Joseph (O'Brien). It's all working out. It's fantastic."
Australia can take 50 percent credit for the breeding of Okita Soushi (IRL), a son of Fastnet Rock's Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas winner, Amicus.
Okita Soushi (IRE) is a brother to Chief Little Rock, the Group III Gallinule Stakes winner, runner-up in the Group II Beresford Stakes and third in the Group III Autumn Stakes and Listed Blue Riband Trial.
A half-sister to stakes-winner Cheer Leader (Snitzel), and stakes-placed Il Cavallo (Choisir), Amicus is out of the stakes-placed El Moxie mare Gold Chant, a half-sister to 4-time Group 1 winner Starspangledbanner.
Okita Soushi (IRE) is a mind-boggling 406th black-type winner for the late, great Galileo.
