Sense Of Occasion has passed a distance test in the Listed McKell Cup with trainer Joe Pride to assess more lofty goals for the four-year-old.
The $2.90 favourite in Saturday’s feature at Randwick, Sense Of Occasion handled the 2400m as his trainer had hoped he would.
After two earlier wins, Tim Clark rode with confidence in himself and the horse which overhauled race leader Singing Flame ($6) to win by three-quarters of a length.
Pride will now spend the next few days mapping out a long-term plan for Sense Of Occasion, saying he may bypass any more racing this campaign.
“The upside of what this horse can do in the next couple of years cancels out what he could do in the next couple of months,” Pride said.
“He is a very gifted horse but I wasn’t sure about the 2400 metres.
“He has shown what he can do and I will take him home and spend the next week thinking about where to go.”
Sense Of Occasion was one of the horses Pride inherited from the Guy Walter stable after his Warwick Farm neighbour’s sudden death a year ago.
“I got about 20 horses from Guy and I have some really nice ones including this fellow, Divertire and Craftiness,” he said.
“It’s hard to believe it is a year since Guy died.”
Clark said Sense Of Occasion was never in danger of getting the distance.
“He relaxed really well and gave me a lot of confidence in the run,” Clark said.
“I dropped my whip and once he saw the second horse coming he said `I’ll race you again’.
“He just gave me a great ride.”
Our Voodoo Prince ($18) ran an even race to finish third, 2-1/4 lengths behind Singing Flame.
Clark’s earlier winners were for the Bart and James Cummings stable aboard Tree Of Jesse and Queensland Derby-bound High Midnight.
The jockey’s chances of riding half the program were thwarted in the final race when Song And Laughter was beaten by Berrimilla.
The mare brought up a Chris Waller-trained double for veteran jockey Jim Cassidy who won earlier on Beyond Thnakful.
