Co-owner Nick Williams believes imported galloper Point Nepean can develop into a high-class stayer on Australian soil.
Point Nepean claimed his second win, and first in Australia, when he led throughout to claim the RSN 945am Handicap (2400m) at Bendigo on Saturday at only his fifth race start.
The Irish-bred son of Camelot won on debut over 2615m at Navan and after one more start in Ireland for Joseph O’Brien was sent to Australia to be trained from the Mt Macedon property of Lloyd and Nick Williams where he is trained by Robert Hickmott.
Point Nepean had one start, finishing midfield at Geelong in the spring, before resuming at Sandown in a benchmark 64 race and finishing second last month.
Appreciating the weight drop and the claim for apprentice Alana Kelly on Saturday, Point Nepean registered a five-length win from Eureka Street with Creative Hero a neck away third.
Williams said Point Nepean was still immature and would continue to improve with racing and in time could see the entire developing into a Cups contender.
He said the stable would not be rushed with Point Nepean, seeing how he pulls up from Saturday’s win, but Williams did note that while it was a benchmark 84, there was some strength to the field.
“He’s done today what he’s been doing at home and what he did for Joseph over in Ireland.,” Williams said.
“You could see in the yard he’s still very immature, but he’s going to be the real deal this horse.
“He’s a proper stayer, still growing into his frame. He’s got as much improvement left in him as any horse we own.
“I think one day he’ll be a Cups horse.
“It’s a long way away, we need everything going right and obviously he’s won here today in restricted grade, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this time next year he was very high in the market for a Sydney Cup.”