The Chris Waller-trained five-year-old was too strong for race favourite Titanium Power ($2.60F) by one length, with stablemate to the winner Oscar Zulu ($5) a further length and a quarter back in third. Waller’s other runners rounded out the top five with True Detective in fourth and No Compromise in fifth.
After getting up to the Sydney Cup distance of 3200m last campaign, Surefire showed he had plenty of sprint left in his legs letting down strongly over the final stages. Waller believes the best is yet to come from his promising galloper.
“He’s obviously a very talented horse, a good spring ahead we’re hoping,” Waller said.
“You’ve got to have class to be able to do that, we know how good the European stayers are but to come here and beat the Australian sprinters over 1400m is a pretty big deal.
“My job is to make sure they’ve come back well and put them into the right races that they’re not going to get flattened, and at the same time make good progress.”
As to what’s next for Surefire, Waller explained there were bigger fish to fry.
“We’ll keep him here (in Sydney) and pick our path through. I always say Epsom weekend you start to try and find 2000m races and step up to the Caulfield Cup,” Waller said.
“Probably a Chelmsford over a mile in three weeks would be perfect.”
Jockey James Mcdonald was equally impressed with his mount’s effort, although not being overly confident mid-race.
“Through the race he just lost touch with the one in front of him, I had to slap him up a little and keep his mind on the job,” McDonald said.
“But he let down like a proper horse that he is and he’s in for a pretty good campaign after that.
“That’ll knock the edge off him and to go forward from here. He’s going to be a nice cups contender.”
As of Saturday afternoon Surefire was rated a $15 chance with the TAB in the Caulfield Cup and $26 in the Melbourne Cup early markets.
