Gathering showed he was on track for a big spring campaign with a commanding victory at Randwick on Wednesday.Patinack Farm trainer Jason Coyle is eyeing off Group One targets like the Spring Champion Stakes and a trip south for the Victoria Derby.The Tale Of The Cat colt was having just his fourth start and controlled the speed in the Shamekha Handicap (1550m) before kicking strongly and going on to score his first win.Gathering defeated Triple Elegance by two lengths."He had to do it today to

Gathering showed he was on track for a big spring campaign with a commanding victory at Randwick on Wednesday.

Patinack Farm trainer Jason Coyle is eyeing off Group One targets like the Spring Champion Stakes and a trip south for the Victoria Derby.

The Tale Of The Cat colt was having just his fourth start and controlled the speed in the Shamekha Handicap (1550m) before kicking strongly and going on to score his first win.

Gathering defeated Triple Elegance by two lengths.

"He had to do it today to warrant going on to those big races and I thought he did a good job," Coyle said.

"He certainly will measure up to something over the carnival and we've got some nice plans for him in Sydney and Melbourne and he showed today he's on track.

"The blinkers served a purpose today and switched him right on. He starting to realise a bit that he is a colt and he needed switching on."

Gathering will be aimed at the Group Three Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle on September 17 before heading to the Listed Dulcify Quality (1800m) at Randwick on September 26 and the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) a week later at the same venue.

"After that we'll take him down to Melbourne," Coyle said.

The strapping bay has already raced in Victoria where he finished third to Rostova in the Group Two Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in March.

"He ran a nice race when he finished second at the provincials in a maiden so we shipped him down for the Sires and he's come back from down there bigger and stronger," Coyle said.

The colt came into the race after a third at Newcastle over 1200 metres where he made up plenty of ground late.

The Victoria Derby (2500m) is at Flemington on October 31.