New Zealand-bred three-year-old Squid Game won his second race from as many starts, cruising to victory in the Lexus Holiday Plate (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The Patrick Payne-trained youngster showed his versatility when coming from the rear of the field on Saturday, after sitting handy to the speed when winning on debut at Sandown last month.
Michael Dee, who rode him on debut, settled Squid Game at the rear of a seven-horse field, and despite a slow tempo established by the leaders the gelding still had enough in reserve to blast past his rivals to score by three-quarters of a length.
Outsider of the field Umgawa ($21) was runner-up with Murrami Express ($6.50) fighting on from his on-pace position for third, a further three-quarters of a length away.
“It was probably exactly how it looked and the same as how it felt, too,” Dee said.
“He was a bit slow away which was a concern. I preferred to ride with a bit of cover today. If we’d landed in front it wouldn’t have been an issue.
“He’s had a bit better experience today down the straight. He hit the front quite early and he began to look around. There was plenty to look at and he still had more in store.”
Squid Game was bred by the Wigley family’s Inglewood Stud.
The gelding is by Shooting To Win from the Keeper mare Macavity, who was a private purchase by the Wigleys through Auckland bloodstock agent Robert Dawe in 2012.
Macavity is a half-sister to Group One winner Velocitea in addition to the stakes winner Weaponry and Group Two placed Maastricht, who in turn is the dam of dual Group One winner Loving Gaby.
Payne purchased the bold chestnut, who runs in the colours of Price Bloodstock, for $150,000 from Inglewood’s 2020 Karaka Book 1 yearling draft.
