A stunning debut from Rekindled Alliance at Canterbury on Wednesday shocked jockey Corey Brown and had him predicting a bright future for the well-bred colt."When I went past the winning post I thought, 'Gee what have we got here'," Brown said after Rekindled Alliance showed the turn of foot of a horse on the rise to win the Bacardi Bar Plate (1100m)."He was very impressive. (Trainer) Paul (Messara) did warn me that it was his first go and he'd be fairly far back in the field, but he travelled r
A stunning debut from Rekindled Alliance at Canterbury on Wednesday shocked jockey Corey Brown and had him predicting a bright future for the well-bred colt.
"When I went past the winning post I thought, 'Gee what have we got here'," Brown said after Rekindled Alliance showed the turn of foot of a horse on the rise to win the Bacardi Bar Plate (1100m).
"He was very impressive. (Trainer) Paul (Messara) did warn me that it was his first go and he'd be fairly far back in the field, but he travelled really well.
"I would have loved to have been one pair closer and he was a bit green but when I pushed the button he really accelerated.
"I haven't had one accelerate like that for a long time."
A son of Redoute's Choice, Rekindled Alliance is a full-brother to talented Group Two-winning Melbourne galloper Rekindled Interest who returned from a long absence when second in last Saturday's Group Three Aurie's Star at Flemington.
Rekindled Alliance had just two behind him in running before Brown peeled the three-year-old into the clear from the top of the straight and he charged after the leaders to reel in the well-backed favourite Rolston to win by three-quarters of a length.
"You're going to have a lot of fun with him. Enjoy the ride," Brown told the colt's connections as he returned to scale.
Messara said Rekindled Alliance's debut "exceeded expectations" with the intention being to step the colt up in distance during the spring carnival.
Carnival racing is also where talented filly Houston Benefactor is headed after the Anthony Cummings-trained three-year-old booked her place in the Group Three Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) on Saturday week with a breakthrough maiden win in the TJ's Champagne Bar Plate (1100m).
Houston Benefactor had been her own worst enemy a couple of times in the past and still jumped in the air as the gates opened on Wednesday but the filly didn't lose momentum.
Glyn Schofield, returning from suspension, got Houston Benefactor into a good spot and the stakes-placed filly did the rest once she got into the clear in the straight, defeating Gunners Babe by three-quarters of a length.
"She'll go into the Princess Series now and we'll see how she fits in there," Cummings said.
"If she is showing the potential we think then she'll make her presence felt and if not we can reassess at that time."