Persan will be given the chance at a proper staying journey after registering a second consecutive Flemington victory.
Co-trainer David Eustace said Persan would return to Flemington on July 4 for the Mahogany Challenge Final over 2500m after taking out the Sir Henry Bolte Handicap on Saturday.
The victory was Persan’s second over the 2000m journey at Flemington and his third win in five starts for the Ciaron Maher and Eustace stable after doing his early racing in Sydney under the guidance of David Payne.
Ridden by Jye McNeil, Persan ($4.80) scored by a long neck from the $4.60 equal-favourite Right You Are with the other co-favourite, Coolth, a further 3-1/2 lengths away.
Eustace said the stable at Ballarat had been working on getting Persan to relax which was now evident in his races.
“He is a little bit of a worrier, but today he was much better in the yard and I think that’s really going to help him down the track,” Eustace said.
“I thought it was a really good effort as in his last couple of starts he’s been left in front at the top of the straight as he was today.
“He probably would love it if another horse could take him a bit further into the race, so hopefully we get that next time.
“He’ll run again in two weeks which will be a big effort as he’s been up for a while, but he’s a colt and I think it has worked well for him.”
Persan gave McNeil a race-to-race double, having scored earlier aboard Great Duchess, and described his second winner as an up-and-coming tough stayer.
“Drawing well today, we wanted to use that good draw and it probably won us the race in the end,” McNeil said.
