Smart sprinter First Command broke through for his first win in just over a year when he gave Steven Arnold back-to-back wins in the Kensington Stakes at Flemington.
Arnold, who won the Listed 1000m straight dash aboard Grand Duels last year, took First Command ($4.80 fav) across from the outside barrier, 10, to the inside section of the track and gained a nice trail behind Canali in the run.
He produced the Commands six-year-old, who was wearing blinkers again, with a sharp sprint and he held on to beat Weekend Special ($5) by a neck.
Weekend Special was subsequently relegated to third after a successful protest by Dwayne Dunn who rode Decircles ($7.50) who finished a short half-head away.
“He hasn’t won for a year but he had a wind operation,” trainer Anthony Freedman said.
The gelding, who has now won 10 of his 24 starts and more than $730,000 in prize money, had the operation after he finished last in the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) in February last year, a race Freedman said he may contest again next month.
He was having his fifth run since the Oakleigh Plate on Saturday and Freedman said the Group Three Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 11 would be his next target.
“We won’t go over the top with him, 1200 metres might stop him now, so 1000 metres to 1100 metres, we’ll tick along around there and he’ll keep winning hopefully,” the trainer said.
“The 1000 metres today was perfect, 1100 will be perfect but the Newmarket (1200m) will be pretty hard for him now having had a wind op.
“I’m keen on putting them where they can win, not getting ahead of yourself.
“I think the wind op worked and placed right with the blinkers back on I think he can string a few together.”
Arnold agreed with Freedman that First Command, even though he’d won three times at 1200m earlier in his career, was better suited to 1000m and 1100m races theses days as he can sit off a quicker speed.
Grand Duels, topweight in the set weights plus penalties event, missed the chance for back-to-back wins in the race when he was scratched on arrival at the course.
The eight-year-old was examined by the club vets after trainer Byron Cozamanis reported he travelled poorly in the float trip across town from Caulfield, suffering injuries to his near-side hip and both hind legs.
AAP TURF
