Promising three-year-old Giresun confirmed his place among trainer Peter Snowden's autumn carnival team with a first-up win against older horses at Warwick Farm on Sunday.A genuine class act as well as a source of frustration for Snowden, Giresun defied a betting drift to win the Sportz Lightning Handicap (1200m)."He's a colt we've always held in fairly high esteem but he should have won more races than he has. Still, he's a carnival horse," Snowden said.Giresun mixed it with the best three-year

Promising three-year-old Giresun confirmed his place among trainer Peter Snowden's autumn carnival team with a first-up win against older horses at Warwick Farm on Sunday.

A genuine class act as well as a source of frustration for Snowden, Giresun defied a betting drift to win the Sportz Lightning Handicap (1200m).

"He's a colt we've always held in fairly high esteem but he should have won more races than he has. Still, he's a carnival horse," Snowden said.

Giresun mixed it with the best three-year-olds earlier in the season, highlighted by his Spring Stakes placing at Newcastle in September.

Snowden wants to revisit stakes racing as soon as possible with the son of emerging stallion Domesday.

"There are two or three targets we have in mind but that's a start," Snowden said. "Ultimately a mile (1600m) will be his pet distance.

Giresun, who blew from $2.50 to $3.60, sat worse than midfield in a strongly run race before sweeping down the middle of the track to beat Knot Out, the $3.60 equal favourite, by a length with 1-3/4 lengths to third placed Confessional ($13).

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy told Snowden Giresun was reluctant to stretch out on a track affected by overnight rain.

"He wasn't really travelling," McEvoy said. "But it was more the ground than anything. It was a bit sticky over the back."

While Giresun bolstered Darley's already strong carnival stocks, the runner-up lost little from a future viewpoint.

Knot Out was squeezed up between runners as Giresun had the momentum and it wasn't until the final 150 metres that jockey Jim Cassidy was able to extricate the Paul Messara-trained galloper into the clear.

Meanwhile, there was no surprise when Chris Waller helped himself to a one-two result in a staying race but the trainer confessed his judgment was slight askew.

Waller said he thought topweight Patrician's Glory was his best chance in the Darby Racing Handicap (2200m) yet it was left to honest middle distance performer Telesmon ($5) to race away for a comprehensive victory.

"I thought the other horse (Patrician's Glory) had the better chance on form but Telesmon always tries very hard and he always finds under pressure," Waller said.

Waller continues to churn out winning stayers and Telesmon made up for a defeat at his previous start when he burst through along the inside before beating Patrician's Glory by almost four lengths.

Former New Zealand mare Calatrava ($9.50) finished a half length away third after hitting the front at the top of the straight.

Telesmon helped Waller maintain a healthy trainers' premiership lead over Snowden.