Tallawah shrugged off the weight of expectation at Pakenham on Sunday with the perfect start to his career for trainers Ben and JD Hayes.
The Westbury Stud-bred son of Swiss Ace completed another good weekend for the Karaka farm’s stallions, which highlighted a Ruakaka double for the dependable El Roca and another stakes horse for the emerging Tarzino.
Tallawah had starred in jump-outs at Flemington and, as a result, came in for hefty support on debut and justified it in style after a few anxious moments in the home straight.
He was tardily into stride before rider Luke Nolen had him moving sweetly behind the leading division and was tightened for room near the home bend before driving between runners to score over 1200 metres on the synthetic track.
Bred by farm Principal Gerry Harvey, Tallawah is out of the Danehill mare Make Me Strong who was a winner and finished fourth in both the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes and the G2 Moonee Valley Oaks.
Nine of her 11 foals to race have now been successful and includes the dam of the Listed Newmarket Handicap winner and multiple Group placegetter Red Striker.
Make Me Strong, who has a yearling filly by Reliable Man and foaled a Swiss Ace colt last season, is from a half-sister to the multiple top-flight winner Encounter and the immediate family of the two-time Group One-winning sprinter Atomic Force.
Tallawah was bred at Westbury by Gerry Harvey and received his early education with Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, who trialled the chestnut before his sale to clients of Lindsay Park Racing.
Swiss Ace’s associate sire El Roca made his presence felt at Ruakaka on Saturday with a winning double courtesy of Chevron and El Noir, who have each been successful on three occasions.
Trained on the course by Chris Gibbs, Chevron made a meal of his Benchmark 74 opposition over 2100 metres with an 8.5l stroll to victory in the hands of Tegan Newman.
“He is a really neat horse who I think could go on and win a stakes race next season as he has any amount of ability,” Newman said.
“He has been a little weak and was still going great races and I’ve now won three times on him.
“He put them away easily on Saturday, in fact I got quite a shock in the home straight as I was waiting for the challenges to come and when I looked up at the big screen, I realised we were miles in front.”
Chevron is raced by breeders Markwood Lodge and hails from the family of the G1 Telegraph Handicap winner Guiseppina and The Pooka, who claimed an edition of the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
El Noir is prepared by Stephen Marsh and, to highlight his sire’s versatility, powered through the line for leading jockey Michael McNab to account for the Rating 74 sprinting rivals.
The five-year-old was bred by GPI Racing No 2, who remain in the ownership group and featuring on her pedigree page are elite level winners Best Western, Strawberry Fair, Good Traveller and Solo Traveller.
Meanwhile, Tarzino’s son Tarex joined the sire’s growing list of black-type performers for his sire with a gallant effort to finish runner-up in the G3 Winx Guineas.
The Lawrie Mayfield-Smith representative, who had won two of his previous six starts, drew a horror barrier in 14 and was caught three and four wide all the way.
Tarex made a swooping run around runners from the back and showed a steely determination in the straight to box on for second.