Highly regarded in his early days by the Anthony Freedman stable, lightly raced three-year-old Wilmot Pass has shown some of that promise to land his first city win at Sandown.
Wilmot Pass enjoyed an economical run midfield in Wednesday’s Ladbrokes Back Yourself Handicap (1200m) under Mark Zahra before sprinting through near the inside in the straight once a gap appeared.
Having his fifth start and second of his current campaign since being gelded, Wilmot Pass ($5) defeated $3.10 favourite Wedgetail by 1-1/4-lengths.
It was his second win after a Moe maiden victory on debut last May and he is likely to get the chance to try to work his way through the grades.
Stable representative Steve Adams said Wilmot Pass had been considered one of the stable’s nicest two-year-olds of his crop early on before he stepped out to win on debut.
“When he won his maiden at Moe we were pretty confident that day he would be hard to beat,” Adams said.
“Then he disappointed us a bit so we had to geld him and his run first-up at Mornington the other day was full of merit after missing the kick.
“It was good to see him jump better today and put it all together.”
Adams believes Wilmot Pass appreciates when there is give in the tracks and thinks the gelding operation has made him more settled, both before and during his races.
“While we’re in these summer months the next progression would be to go to a Saturday-class race,” he said.
Zahra said Wilmot Pass enjoyed a beautiful run and felt he was entitled to win like he did.
“They’ve always had a bit of an opinion of him so it was just good to see him do everything right – jump away, travel and win,” the jockey said.
“I think they’ve just got to place him so he can go through his grades.”
Trainer Jamie Edwards, meanwhile, will look to take advantage of a series of upcoming benchmark races over 2500m at The Valley during summer with Lorenzetti after the four-year-old’s 2-1/4-length victory in the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Handicap (2400m).
