Stratford couldn't have been more impressive first-up but experienced hoop Rod Quinn wants to see him back it up with another winning performance at Rosehill on Saturday.The John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes-trained Stratford looked every bit a topliner in the making on July 16 when he towed Quinn to the front before racing away to a 3-1/2-length win against his own age at Rosehill.Stratford is the $2.80 favourite for Saturday's Congratulations Lonhro Handicap (1100m) against older horses and Quinn
Stratford couldn't have been more impressive first-up but experienced hoop Rod Quinn wants to see him back it up with another winning performance at Rosehill on Saturday.
The John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes-trained Stratford looked every bit a topliner in the making on July 16 when he towed Quinn to the front before racing away to a 3-1/2-length win against his own age at Rosehill.
Stratford is the $2.80 favourite for Saturday's Congratulations Lonhro Handicap (1100m) against older horses and Quinn is delighted to get another chance on the exciting gelding.
"If he's going to be a good horse I expect him to come out and do the same thing again," Quinn said.
"If he can do that it shows it was not just a flash in the pan last time."
After getting off Stratford at Rosehill two weeks ago Quinn said the son of Stratum "definitely feels like a top-grade horse".
It was the lightly-raced rising four-year-old's fourth start in a race and his first since winning the Magic Millions Maiden at the Gold Coast in January.
"This is a bit tougher race again on Saturday but he won well the other day, he has drawn well (barrier two) and should be able to race a bit closer," Quinn said.
"It will be interesting to see how he handles the step up but hopefully it won't be a problem."
Prior to Stratford's first-up display Quinn had only ever been on the gelding's back once in a barrier trial a couple of weeks earlier.
"He gave me a really good feel in that trial so I did expect him to win the other day but I didn't expect him to win the way he did," he said.
"He did have the blinkers on which he didn't have on in the trial so that switched him on even more. He couldn't have been more impressive."
A win for the Hawkes-Quinn combination would also be fitting as Saturday's race is named after champion Lonhro, who is this season's leading stallion in Australia.
Lonhro was prepared by John Hawkes when he was head trainer at Crown Lodge and Quinn won four stakes races on the 11-time Group One winner including the 2001 Group Two Stan Fox Stakes and the 2002 Group Two Royal Sovereign Stakes and Hobartville Stakes.