PROMISING three-year-old Red Sun Rising broke through for an overdue win at Spreyton yesterday when he led throughout to win a maiden-class one handicap over 1650 metres.
The Tegan Keyes-trained gelding had been placed at his two previous starts in Launceston in maiden company over 1400 metres but he seemed to appreciate the extra ground and the synthetic surface.
Red Sun Rising has always shown promise and this time in her has improved at each outing.
The trainer was not at Spreyton yesterday so her father and fellow trainer John Keys had charge of the gelding and he was suitably impressed with his effort.
“This horse has taken a while to come to hand but Tegan has always believed he had a bright future especially when he gets over a bit of ground,” John Keys said.
“There is a race for him over 1880 metres here at Spreyton in a fortnight so he will be coming home with me tonight to be stables at Wesley Vale until his next start,” he said.
Red Sun Rising had his first start for the stable in Hobart on Derby Day in early February when heavily backed to start the favourite but midrace interference may have prevented the win.
He then went to a trial in Hobart before heading to Launceston where he was again backed but again finished fourth.
Two subsequent minor placings against good opposition led to punters to rally for the gelding yesterday, with his price tumbling in from $5.50 to start the $4.20 second favourite behind Krake (Brendon McCoull) that travelled three-wide without cover for the last 700 metres to share the lead to the home turn.
But the former Victorian capitulated in the home straight to finish well back.
The Barry Baker-trained Kadann produced his best effort for a while to run on and finish second while Full Magnum that missed the start and settled last ran home well to grab third.