Jamie Melham admitted he feared the worst when Jimmy Recard copped a bump in the straight at Caulfield, but instead of folding, the colt showed his fighting spirit to claim the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) on Saturday.

The $3.60 favourite was briefly headed by Tycoon Star ($5), yet rallied strongly under Melham’s urging to snatch victory by a long head, with Express Class ($13) finishing another 1-½ lengths away in third. The performance marked Jimmy Recard’s third consecutive win after earlier successes at Gosford and in the Taj Rossi Sprint Final at Flemington.

Melham, who partnered him in both Flemington and Caulfield wins, said the colt had turned a corner. “I’ve always known he’s had talent, but I wasn’t sure the penny had dropped. When he was bumped at the 200m, I thought he might wave the white flag, but he fought back hard. He’s matured, and I think there are big wins ahead,” Melham said.

Trainer Ciaron Maher echoed those sentiments, praising the colt’s willingness to keep improving. “Every time we raise the bar, he meets the challenge,” Maher said. “We thought about an Adelaide trip earlier, but decided to kick off here instead, and he’s delivered. He’s a well-bred horse, a lovely type, and has a bright future.”

Maher said options now include stepping up in trip for the Caulfield Guineas (1600m), or keeping to sprinting distances with the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in November. “We’ll let him tell us, but either way he looks destined for Group 1 company,” Maher said.