Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy never doubted the credentials of promising three-year-old Veight who returned with an impressive Stakes victory at Caulfield.
Having his first start since finishing out of the money on a wet track in Sydney during the autumn, Veight returned to claim the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) on Saturday.
The victory showed the McEvoy father-and-son training team that they are on target for their spring goal of the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14.
Ridden by Damian Lane, Veight ($5.50) registered a three-quarter length win from Legacies ($4.80) with the $4.60 Boombet favourite Little Brose a further three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
There had been some pundits concerned with how Veight had trialled in preparation for his return, but Calvin McEvoy said he and his father had not lost any faith.
“We’ve never once doubted how he’s been going this preparation,” McEvoy said.
“I think a lot of people read a little bit too much into the jump-outs. He did as much as we wanted him to do and what’s exciting today about his win is we’re six weeks from his grand final.
“There’s plenty of improvement which makes the win even more special.”
With the Caulfield Guineas still six weeks away, McEvoy said Veight would remain in Melbourne and head to Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 23 for his next outing.
“The plan we’ve been comfortable with all the way through is today, three weeks to the Prelude, three weeks to the Guineas,” McEvoy said.
“I think he’s going to come on leaps and bounds from today and at this stage, that’s the plan.”
Lane, who rode Veight in all three of his two-year-old runs last autumn including his victory in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), said the colt had grown and filled out.
“He’s a big strong boy now, (a) man,” Lane said.
“I was probably a little bit surprised how well he went today off the back of his jump outs. I thought he might need the 1400 (metres) before we saw him winning but as good horses do, they can often exceed your expectations once they get to race day.
“He’s certainly done that again and it’s three from four now so he’s a real winner.”