Exciting import Tall Ship earned himself a shot at a third-straight country cup success with victory in Sunday’s $50,000 Terang Cup, reports racing.com.

The Darren Weir-trained recruit followed victory in the $50,000 Stawell Gold Cup with a narrow-but-impressive win in the 2150m Terang feature.

Tall Ship will now head to the $200,000 Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) on Thursday 7 May before being set for what owner Terry Henderson considers even more suitable races later in the year.

“Darren has said all along that if he came through this race well that we’d head there (Warrnambool) and hopefully he’ll race well again there and then he’ll have a break,” Henderson said.

“He’s a true mile-and-a-half, two-mile horse so really we’re not to that distance yet and when we chatted about whether we went to Pakenham (Cup) next week, which is 2000, or here we just thought the extra distance would be to his benefit so it was a good call by Darren.”

Tall Ship, a four-year-old son of Sea The Stars, took his record to five wins from 11 starts when he thundered home from near the tail early in the straight to score a last-stride win over Tuscan Fire, who was Damien Oliver’s shot at a maiden Terang Cup success.

WATCH: Tall Ship charge to claim the 2015 Sungold Milk Terang Cup

 

 

The $2.15 favourite scored by a short-half-head from Tuscan Fire ($6) with Letmedowngently ($8) two lengths away third.

Winning jockey Brad Rawiller said it was a fine effort from Tall Ship even though he was in receipt of 3.5kg from 61kg topweight Tuscan Fire.

“Tuscan Fire’s an experienced, seasoned horse and even though he had the big weight it’s hard to get past a horse like him,” Rawiller said. “This bloke’s still inexperienced, so it was a good effort.

“He settled really good today and he’s going the right way.”

The Terang Cup success completed a winning double for Darren Weir - the stable finished with a treble after Edge Of War won the final race -  who celebrated earlier victory with Kaotika (Dean Yendall), and capped a memorable day for OTI Racing.

It had the most brilliant winner of the day, Heza Chaka, who streeted his rivals in the $15,000 Only A Little Bit Over Maiden Plate (1200m).

The Peter Moody-trained gelding, a son of Pins and former dual Group 2-winning filly Ugachaka, strolled home by six lengths at his first racetrack appearance.

Heza Chaka was ridden to victory by Linda Meech, who earlier in the day combined with another Moody maiden, In A Smile, to win the $15,000 Callaghan Motors 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m).

Symon Wilde and Jamie Mott also combined for two wins, taking the second event with Precious Zen before snaring the penultimate race with Nimbostratus.

WATCH: The impressive win of Heza Chaka for trainer Peter Moody