A start in next month's Doncaster Mile would be a dream but for now trainer Kerry Parker is only concentrating on Saturday's Group Two Ajax Stakes with up-and-comer Brilliant Light.The Kembla Grange-trained four-year-old is the lowest-rated horse in the 1500m Quality at Rosehill but proved in the Newcastle Newmarket (1400m) last start that he was a serious horse in the making.Brilliant Light finished second to all-the-way winner Walking Or Dancing and Parker is keen to see if the gelding can tak
A start in next month's Doncaster Mile would be a dream but for now trainer Kerry Parker is only concentrating on Saturday's Group Two Ajax Stakes with up-and-comer Brilliant Light.
The Kembla Grange-trained four-year-old is the lowest-rated horse in the 1500m Quality at Rosehill but proved in the Newcastle Newmarket (1400m) last start that he was a serious horse in the making.
Brilliant Light finished second to all-the-way winner Walking Or Dancing and Parker is keen to see if the gelding can take another giant step up in the Ajax, where he has the 52kg minimum with Jay Ford to ride.
"That's the level he's at now, and this race on Saturday will tell us a bit more," Parker said.
"I thought my horse went super (at Newcastle).
"Glen (Boss) just sat a bit long which was the right thing for his horse (Walking Or Dancing) and he was holding us on the line. My horse did have the entire Newcastle straight to try and pick him up, but he still ran second in a Group Three so it's pretty hard not to be pleased with his effort."
Brilliant Light started to make good progress at the end of his last campaign, winning three successive races before being sent for a spell.
The son of Fantastic Light returned bigger and stronger for the autumn and scored a convincing first-up win at Rosehill last month before being thrown in the deep end at Newcastle.
"I had always had a good opinion of him and it has just taken a while for the penny to drop with him," Parker said.
"I think it started to at the end of his last preparation when he won those three races in a row.
"It took a while for him to learn that he wasn't just out there running with them, he actually had to try and beat them.
"He put on 50 kilos from last preparation to this preparation which has definitely helped him."
Brilliant Light is a $51 chance for the Group One Doncaster Mile (1600m) on April 17 with TAB Sportsbet.
Parker said Brilliant Light, who has 51kg in the Doncaster, would need to win the Ajax to improve his rating and get a weight penalty if he's any chance of gaining a start.
"At this stage the main goal is Saturday," he said.
"There's nothing wrong with winning a Group Two Ajax Stakes."
There are 16 horses nominated for the Ajax including Group One winners Vision And Power (59.5kg), Rock Kingdom (57.5kg), Mr Baritone (56kg), Mentality (55.5kg) and Argentinian import Snapy Halo (52kg).
The Guy Walter-trained import Basaltico (52.5kg) is also nominated as is Villiers Stakes runner-up Parfumier (52kg).