Stealth, timing and decisive execution are the hallmarks of a true ninja, and those qualities were on full display at Eagle Farm.

Ninja ($2.30F), the talented three-year-old gelding, produced a devastating finish to score a near five-length win in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m), reinforcing his status as the horse to beat in the $3 million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast.

Despite having never ridden Ninja previously, Tommy Berry quickly found a rhythm with the gelding, steering him to his third victory from five starts as Michael Freedman’s patient approach following a third in the Pierata Plate (1200m) at Doomben on December 6 paid dividends.

After missing the start, Ninja was well back in the field as the runners rounded the home turn.

From there, Berry angled Ninja to the outside, allowing him to build momentum before storming down the middle of the track, delivering a dominant performance rarely seen over the summer months.

“You always have to have Plan B but that wasn’t even a Plan B for me,” Tommy Berry said.

“He was so well behaved today and he stood in the gates beautifully and quiet but when the starter called ‘all clear’, usually the gates open not long after.

“I gave him a bit of a squeeze to jump but there was a hold-up so he hit the front of the gates.

“He took a step back and lunged out. We were hoping for an easy run today with two weeks’ time in mind and he really only sprinted 500-metres.”

Following the performance, bookmakers wasted little time trimming Ninja’s Guineas odds from $4 into $2 for January 17.

The post Ninja slices the opposition in Vo Rogue Plate first appeared on Just Horse Racing.