The 6yo gelding Tradesman joined the growing list of former Western Australian horses to win a stakes for Darren Weir when he scored a fighting win in Saturday's Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m).
Sent off an odds-on favourite following his second to Egg Tart in the Group II O'Shea Stakes at the Sunshine Coast, Tradesman was caught wide the trip under Dean Yendall, before wearing down a stubborn First Crush in the closing stages to win by a head with three and a half lengths back to All In Vogue in third.
Trained by Robert and Todd Harvey in Perth, Tradesman placed in the Group 11 Perth Cup (2400m) and Group 11 Lee-Steere Stakes (1400m) in 2016.
Battling problems with his feet, the son of Trade Fair (GB) was transferred to Weir after finishing fourth in the Listed Carbine Club WA Stakes last November.
"The other jockeys didn't want to play my game and kept kicking up inside me. But I decided to play their game and went with them to the turn," Yendall told AAP.
"In the straight, I had a bit of a sword fight (with Matt McGillivray on First Crush) but my horse kept fighting back."
Tradesman is likely staying north for the Listed Caloundra Cup in two weeks' time.
A $57,500 purchase by Todd Harvey from the Toreby Stud draft at the 2013 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Tradesman advances his record to 9 wins, 2 seconds and 4 thirds from 27 starts with earnings of $666,150.
Winner of the Listed Belmont Guineas three year ago, Tradesman is one of 14 stakes-winners for Trades Fair (GB), a Juddmonte-bred, Group III-winning son of Zafonic, who was humanely euthanised in March at the age of 18 due to multiple cancerous tumours.
He was described by respected bloodstock agent John Charmers as the "most under-rated stallion in my 50 years in the industry and deserved far more recognition that he was afforded."
Chalmers negotiated the shuttle of Trade Fair for David Redvers, of Tweenhills Stud, England, to stand at Evergreen Lodge, for a syndicate that included Toreby Park's, Fiona Gerrard.
Trade Fair had a few homes before becoming a permanent Australian citizen when purchased outright to stand at Ted van Heemst's Lynward Park Stud in 2010. He was later relocated to John Andrew's Alwyn Park Stud.
"Trade Fair was a terrific horse. Good to handle. An absolute professional. His progeny responded to kindness," Andrews told Thoroughbred Breeders WA.
From the family of Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Road To Success (Dolphin Street), Tradesman is the fifth and final foal of the Laranto mare Virelay who was pensioned in 2012.
