After a luckless run at his previous start, promising colt Lone Eagle has raced to his first victory at Caulfield to give trainer Mick Price his 100th winner for the season.
The Price-trained two-year-old colt was having his third career start in Saturday’s card-opening Handicap over 1200m and after settling in the second half of the field the $3.20 favourite overhauled his rivals to beat Evil Cry ($9.50) by a head.
Nistaan ($5.50) came in another length away in third.
Lone Eagle’s win was Price’s 28th metropolitan winner in Victoria.
Lone Eagle finished second on debut at Sandown before a luckless sixth at Flemington on June 10 and Price’s stable representative Mick Nolan believes the colt has a bright future.
“He’s always shown that he was stakes level or better, and I think on that performance he’s definitely headed that way,” Nolan said.
“Whatever he does now he’ll definitely improve on as he gets a bit older.
“He’s got a fair future, this horse.”
Jockey Damien Oliver also believes Lone Eagle has shown stakes-class ability.
Lone Eagle settled back in the field and chimed in quickly on the outside early in the straight before having to fight to get the better of Evil Cry and Nistaan on his inside.
“They went quickly early in the race and then backed it off in the mid-stages so I was a bit cautious not to get left in a sit and sprint,” Oliver said.
“I wanted to be on top of them on the turn and I probably got there a bit soon.
“I thought he was going to win easier than what he did when he straightened but the second horse gave him a race.”
