Trainer Mat Ellerton went to Sandown hoping promising three-year-old Enjin Number Nine could run second to Star Witness but came away with something of a surprise win in the Manfred Stakes.Ellerton said dual Group One winner Star Witness was the benchmark three-year-old.But the Danny O'Brien-trained colt could only manage third at his first outing since the spring in Wednesday's rescheduled race.The Listed event was originally to be run over 1200m at Caulfield last Saturday but when that meeting

Trainer Mat Ellerton went to Sandown hoping promising three-year-old Enjin Number Nine could run second to Star Witness but came away with something of a surprise win in the Manfred Stakes.

Ellerton said dual Group One winner Star Witness was the benchmark three-year-old.

But the Danny O'Brien-trained colt could only manage third at his first outing since the spring in Wednesday's rescheduled race.

The Listed event was originally to be run over 1200m at Caulfield last Saturday but when that meeting was abandoned had to be adjusted to 1300m.

Sent out $1.80 favourite after drifting from his opening quote of $1.60, Star Witness, ridden by Steven Arnold, was unable to get to the outside of the track after drawing barrier one.

Enjin Number Nine ($15), who drew barrier two in the seven-horse field and was ridden by Glen Boss, raced away out wide on the track for a comprehensive 2-1/4-length win over Bullbars ($7).

Star Witness, having his first start beyond 1200m, was a length away third.

Arnold said he was happy with Star Witness' run under the circumstances but suggested he may not have got the 1300m.

"The idea was to get off the fence. He wasn't on the fence, he got out to the middle but drawing barrier one made it hard to get to the outside," he said.

Going into the Manfred, Star Witness had been the heavily-backed $6 favourite for the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) on his home track of Flemington on March 5, a race that Ellerton also has in mind for Enjin Number Nine.

"We'll probably throw him into the deep end. He's still six months away from his best but he's a gelding so we'll keep going that way," Ellerton, who co-trains with his cousin Simon Zahra, said.

The gelding, by 2004 Japan Cup winner Zenno Rob Roy, was purchased at a New Zealand ready-to-run sale and has won three of his four starts.

"With a bit of luck he could be unbeaten," Ellerton said.

"He's a talented horse and he had a perfect run.

"He still gets his head up and climbs a bit but when he gets it all together he's going to be a serious horse."

Boss said he expected a good run from Enjin Number Nine, on who he was having his first race ride, after watching his first-up win in a Class 1 Hcp (1212m) at Geelong on January 25.

"They ran very solid sectionals that day," he said.

"He gave me a great ride today. He relaxed really well in the run and between the 200 metres and the 100 metres he went very quick and eased off the last 100 metres.

"He gave me the feel of a really good horse. He's still very raw but he switched off enough for me in the run and pulled it out at the right time."