Jockey James Winks has predicted a big future for the Peter Snowden-trained Festina Lente after the colt beat his toughest opposition yet in the inaugural Bendigo Guineas.The lightly-raced son of Strategic made it three wins from four starts in Saturday's $90,000 feature over 1400 metres and Winks says the best is yet to come."I have got a lot of time for him," Winks said after Festina Lente's half-length victory over Canonized and the fast-finishing Huegill."To come here and beat a smart field

Jockey James Winks has predicted a big future for the Peter Snowden-trained Festina Lente after the colt beat his toughest opposition yet in the inaugural Bendigo Guineas.

The lightly-raced son of Strategic made it three wins from four starts in Saturday's $90,000 feature over 1400 metres and Winks says the best is yet to come.

"I have got a lot of time for him," Winks said after Festina Lente's half-length victory over Canonized and the fast-finishing Huegill.

"To come here and beat a smart field like that he has a lot of upside and he could have a big future."

Winks' only other ride on Festina Lente was when he won his race debut at Geelong on September 30.

Festina Lente also finished second to Sabres at Geelong in October and won first-up at the track beating Motorised on February 18.

"I rode him at his first start when he won and he did that on raw ability," Winks said.

One of the two least experienced runners in the field along with eighth-placed Black Bart, Festina Lente wore blinkers for the first time at Bendigo and gave Winks a scare when he wanted to pull up when he hit the lead.

"He still doesn't know what it is all about," Winks said.

"When he got to the front he stopped on me, he had me cold, then he realised he still had a job ahead of him, lengthened good, and won like a good horse."

Stable spokesman Alan Johns said Festina Lente was a work in progress and that he would not start reaching his potential until the spring.

"He's probably another six months away from being ready," Johns said.

"It was a very good field today and a big test but he has come through it very well.

"He has come along very nicely.

"He has got a great attitude and a good future ahead of him."

Canonized, ridden by Brad Rawiller, was also wearing blinkers for the first time and lost no admirers with his gallant second.

The New Boy finished fourth and Sandown Guineas winner So Swift looked a winning chance halfway up the straight but peaked on his run and finished fifth.

Shanghai Warrior (sixth) reached the lead on the home turn and battled on well to be 1-3/4 lengths from the winner.