Regally bred Sport of Kings took the first step towards fulfilling a long-range plan for his trainer Tony Sears on Wednesday.
Sport of Kings ($7.50) scored his first win in five starts when he took out the Maiden Plate (2130m) at Ipswich.
There would have been few better-bred horses racing in Australia on Wednesday as Sport of Kings is by champion sire Encosta De Lago out of Storm Cat mare Chatty On.
The gelding originally was bought for $300,000 by the Hong Kong Jockey Club when he went through the ring at the 2012 Inglis Easter yearling sales.
Sport of Kings is now raced by clients of Sears who has taken a long-term view with their purchase.
“He is very immature and I have always believed with time he can be a good stayer,” Sears said.
Tim Bell, who won on Sport of Kings, confirmed the gelding still had plenty of learn.
Meanwhile, former top two-year-old Whiskey Allround ($1.80) scored his first win in two years.
Whiskey Allround ran second to top mare Sweet Idea in the 2012 Silver Slipper at Rosehill and has since run well in several Listed and Group races without winning.
Trainer Tony Gollan elected to take on easier company at Ipswich to allow the now four-year-old Whiskey Allround to regain his confidence.
Winning jockey Tegan Harrison said there had been plenty of merit in the win as Whiskey Allround wanted to over-race and hang on the home turn.
