Connections of promising colt Express Class will get a vital form guide on his future prospects when he contests the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield this weekend.

Prepared by Gerard Moloney and ridden by his son Patrick, Express Class made a winning start to his career in a two-year-old handicap at Sandown last month. Despite starting a $31 outsider, he stormed home late to score by half a length, prompting the decision to head straight to Stakes grade.

Patrick Moloney revealed they had long rated the colt but were wary of the debut field’s reputation. “He’d always shown above-average ability,” he said. “The quality of the opposition might have scared us off, but there wasn’t a better race to start him in. We thought he’d run well, but with the hype on the others, we weren’t expecting him to win first-up.”

The leap from a midweek maiden to a high-quality Stakes race will test the recently turned three-year-old, but Moloney sees it as an important yardstick. “This will show us where he fits in,” he said. “Most of these have been around before, while he’s fresh into his first prep. He was impressive on debut and he’s only going to get better heading into the autumn.”

Moloney reported that Express Class has come through his debut in good order. “We’ve just kept him ticking over since Sandown,” he said. “He’s fit, he’s done nothing wrong, and while he’ll need to step up again, we’re confident he’ll acquit himself well second-up.”