Even with firm faith in Recon, Pat Carey never anticipated after the gelding’s opening fifth in a Flemington Listed event that the four-year-old would swiftly attract single-figure support for Group 1 action.

Yet a dazzling victory on his second outing in the Hareeba Stakes practically required the wily Mornington trainer to plan for the $1 million The Goodwood with the gelding still showing untapped promise.

The sparsely raced four-year-old made huge strides, routing his opposition in the 1200-metre Listed test amid his track’s top meeting on April 18, confirming to Carey his place in South Australia’s historic sprint showdown.

“After he won the Harbeeba, he jumped something like 17 (ratings) points, so it ruled out a lot of the last bit of progress through the grades he had,” Carey said.

“So, he’s basically obliged to run in sort of Listed-plus races now, anyway.

“We still think that there’s more to come with him at 1400 and maybe further, but he deserves his opportunity at this level, at this time of his career.”

His Hareeba Stakes win was the sixth from just 11 career efforts, which beforehand had stayed within benchmark 84 boundaries.

Having joined forces with Harris Walker in 2023, Carey is thrilled by a horse generating such buzz for a showcase sprint.

Four Group 1 victories adorn his record, all at a minimum 2400m, such as Cederberg in the Tancred Stakes, Arapaho Miss and Gondokoro in the Oaks, and Ethiopia’s ATC Derby success.

Carey has been impressed by Recon since the Hareeba Stakes and looks forward to a fine display at Morphettville.

“He’s been kept up to the mark, he had a nice gallop on the course proper at Mornington today and he’s continued to hold good form,” Carey said from Bendigo on Saturday.

“We’re optimistic about where his future is going to take him.”

At $7 in The Goodwood odds, Recon trails $5 co-favourites Extragalactic and Flying For Fun.

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