Robert Heathcote has a longer-term stakes plan in mind for Press Link after he kept his perfect record intact on Saturday with a stellar performance on his home track.
The Eagle Farm trainer is upbeat about the future prospects of the Gerry Harvey-bred son of Press Statement, who made it three wins from as many appearances after thumping a competitive age group line-up over 1200 metres.
“A race like the Queensland Guineas (G2, 1600m) would suit him and now he’s won a Saturday race he qualifies for those sorts of races,” Heathcote said.
Press Link was a debut winner in the summer at Doomben before he returned there after a break to score again earlier this month and he was again impressive on Saturday.
He was taken back by rider Michael Rodd from a wide barrier and was on the move 600 metres from home.
When the gelding was asked for a serious effort, he accelerated sharply to quickly put the issue beyond doubt and waltzed clear to score by two-and-a-half lengths.
The New Zealand-bred Press Link was purchased out of Westbury Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale draft by retired trainer Bryan Guy for A$45,000 on behalf of Hong Kong interests.
“I have to thank Bryan for recommending the horse came to me and the owners have been so patient,” Heathcote said.
“I said from day one that you’ve got something special and they wanted to run in the Magic Millions, but I said he wasn’t ready.”
Press Line is a son of the Mossman mare Ville De Madrid and she is a granddaughter of the multiple stakes winner Regina Madre.
Ville De Madrid has a 100 percent record at stud with all four of her foals to race successful and she has a yearling Telperion filly and produced a colt by Reliable Man last year and is now in foal to Tarzino.