A colt that possesses the talent to have been in Melbourne on Saturday instead had to settle for a winning return in a restricted race at Rosehill.
Injuries have kept three-year-old Sessions from so far fulfilling his racetrack potential but he maintained his unbeaten record from just two starts with a half-length win over Catkins in the CFMEU Mining & Energy Handicap (1200m).
“There’s another race in Sydney in two weeks for him and he’ll miss Melbourne completely this spring,” trainer Peter Snowden’s stable representative Brad Widdup said.
“He’ll probably be aimed at the three-year-old races like the Randwick Guineas in the autumn. He’s got a lot of ability.”
Sessions impressed at the official two-year-old barrier trials in September last year but a stress fracture in his off-hind leg kept him off the scene until he made his debut at Randwick in late April with a win on the Kensington track.
The colt was then off the scene again until he controlled the race from the front against just three rivals on Saturday to score a first-up win.
Sessions and Catkins cleared out from the remaining two runners with 4-1/4 lengths to third-placed Laughing.
“It’s just good to get him back racing,” Widdup said.
“He’s always had a bit of a boom on him and what you’ve seen today, he’s got plenty up his sleeve from that.
“He just raced a bit keen today.”
Jockey Peter Robl was taken by the performance of the colt which started as the $1.26 favourite.
“He raced very fresh first-up off a long spell but it was a really good effort,” Robl said.
“He’s a very nice horse and is definitely going to make the grade.”
