Akicita will be given the chance to prove himself worthy of a shot at the Caulfield Guineas after kicking off his career with a brilliant win at Pakenham on Tuesday.
The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew De Kock-trained colt put away a good field, which included Stakes-placed filly Sensical, in the 1100-metre three-year-old maiden that launched the synthetic program.
The performance prompted wagering operators to insert Akicita as short as $13 in markets on the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), the October 14 event that De Kock said the campaign had been geared around.
“We’ve got our eyes on races like the Guineas Prelude and then hopefully big races like the Guineas in time to come,” he said.
“Which pathway we take to get there will be weather dependant and track dependant, but the good thing is he’s ticked the box today and we’re very excited.”
After settling midfield on Akicita, Jye McNeil produced him early in the straight and the son of Grunt quickly reeled in Sensical before powering away to score a 3-1/2-length win over the Blue Diamond Preview third placegetter.
“He’s obviously got the class there, as we saw today, he relaxed good and quickened unbelievably,” McNeil, who went to Pakenham for one ride, said.
“There’s probably a lot of fitness to come too, so the future’s bright, that’s for sure.”
Akicita is out of the Not A Single Doubt mare Little Indian, which makes him a half-brother to Typhoon Titmus, a daughter of Headwater that Griffiths and De Kock trained to finish second in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m).
