Valuable Redoute's Choice colt Pariah went to the top of the Golden Rose charts following an impressive win in Saturday's $150,000 Group III San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt was among the best of his generation at two, winning the Group III Canonbury Stakes on debut before finishing second in both the Group III Blue Diamond Prelude and Group I Blue Diamond.
He went for a winter spell after finishing out of a place in the Group I Golden Slipper run on a bottomless track at Rosehill.
Blake Shinn elected to go back from his wide draw in the early stages. With a lapful of horse, Shinn weaved between runners to take charge 250 metres out.
Magic Millions 2yo Classic runner-up Chauffeur (Snitzel) came from the tail of the field to be beaten a length while Godolphin's Gimcrack Stakes heroine Jorda (Exceed And Excel), who was facing the starter for just the second time, showed she will be competitive in all the fillies races, with a troubled third. (photos Steve Hart).
A $700,000 purchase by James Harron Bloodstock from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Pariah advances his record to 2 wins and 2 seconds from 5 starts with earnings of $477,500.
"As the race panned out I got more confident," Shinn said. "I was able to find the rail and got on the back of Jorda.
"I just had to extricate my way out at the turn."
"When the runs appeared I took them, at the top of the straight I was very confident.
"I know he's got a great turn of foot and he delivered today."
Peter Snowden said Pariah's goal is the $1 million Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) on September 23 after which they will assess their options.
"He'll run in the Run To The Rose and then obviously the Golden Rose," he said.
"The Golden Rose is his main target thus far, hopefully we can tick that box and then we can really think about what his future holds.
"After that 1400m run we'll determine what avenue we take with him, if we do press onto the mile or look at The Everest or freshen up for the Coolmore.
"They're certainly good things to be thinking about."
A three-quarter brother to Group I AJC TJ Smith Stakes and Group I Tatt's RC Winter Stakes winner Melito, Pariah's future as a stallion already looks assured.
Bred by Arrowfield Pastoral, Planette Thoroughbred, David Paradice and Favretto Bloodstock, Pariah is the first foal of the Sydney winning Hussonet (USA) mare Secluded.
Herself a $525,000 yearling, Secluded has already proven to be a goldmine at stud.
At this year's Easter Yearling sale, bloodstock agent Tim Stakemire paid a sale topping $2,500,000 for a full-brother to Pariah. The now 2yo colt has been named Melik.
In 2015 Secluded slipped to Redoute's Choice and missed to the champion son of Danehill last spring.