Starting at juicy odds in his two races starts and surprising punters both times, Clear Proof is garnering a little more respect for his Ming Dynasty Quality assignment as he bids to put himself on a Golden Rose path.

The John Thompson-trained colt was sent out at $101 when he won his Kensington track debut in July and was at double-figure odds when finishing a slashing second to Gatsby’s in the Listed The Rosebud (1100m) last time out.

Chad Schofield was aboard both times and sticks with the three-year-old in Saturday’s Ming Dynasty Quality where he expects a distance rise to 1400m to be ideal.

“He is a very high-quality colt and a big, strong, good-looking horse,” Schofield said.

“He obviously took everyone by surprise on debut when he won at 100-1, but he backed it up by running a good second to Gatsby’s over a distance that was too short.

“I think he will love the 1400-metres, and he is a horse who is going to keep improving under John’s care.

“I feel like he’s got a big race in him.”

Clear Proof has already had early specking, firming from his opening quote of $8 into $7.50, with Mayfair a drifting $4 favourite after he was scratched from The Run To The Rose (1200m) in favour of the Ming Dynasty.

Clear Proof was a $34 chance for the Golden Rose on Wednesday.

No winner of the Ming Dynasty has yet gone on to claim the spring feature, although Encap came close when he was edged out by Militarize last year.