Shangri La Spring is on track for a Queensland Derby campaign following a determined victory in the Frank Packer Plate at Randwick, leading all the way to give Tulloch Lodge trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott another feature win.

While a start in the ATC Australian Derby (2400m) was initially on the cards, Bott said the colt needed more time to come to hand after his previous campaign, prompting a slight shift in plans toward the winter features in Brisbane.

“I wanted to try to get him here for the ATC Derby. We gave him a short turnaround off the back of his winter campaign and thought we’d give him that option,” Bott said.

“It has just taken a bit longer to get him fit than we wanted so we thought the Carbine (Club Stakes) and Frank Packer would be a better program and then we could aim up (to the Queensland Derby) if we ticked those boxes.”

The colt’s performance in the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) was underwhelming, but jockey Tim Clark took responsibility for pushing the tempo too hard early.

“It was probably a little bit my fault the other day. He probably wasn’t quite ready to be ridden like he was, second-up at a mile,” Clark said.

“That probably held him in good stead for today having a really good, toughen-up run under his belt on the back of Gai and Adrian’s advice to hold him up a bit more today, and getting out to 2000 metres, to trust his turn of foot.”

At odds of $16, Shangri La Spring fought hard to fend off his rivals, crossing the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Firm Agreement ($4.40) and a further 1-1/2 lengths in front of Plymouth ($7.50).

Hot favourite Swiftfalcon ($1.90) had every chance but couldn’t accelerate when asked, finishing a well-beaten fourth.

“He has probably come to the end of his prep,” said Tyler Schiller. “He’s definitely not a 2000 metre horse. He might be a mile/18[00]. He had every chance today.”