Breeders Plate hero Vancouver has clearly made a good deal of improvement physically in his time off the track. He looked a picture in the parade ring however punters shied away from him in favour of first starters Outreach (Exceed And Excel) and Mawahibb (Magic Albert).
A brother to 2013 Golden Slipper winner Overrreach, Outreach showed all of his family's speed as Kerrin McEvoy controlled the tempo in front.
In contrast Tommy Berry found himself towards the rear on Vancouver but he was within striking distance rounding the home turn.
Despite running about over the last 100 metres, Vancouver edged clear of Outreach by half a length with another son of Exceed And Excel, Chamarel, three lengths back in third.
"You can't beat the spring form," said winning trainer Gai Waterhouse.
"He'd already won the Breeders' Plate, he knew what to do his savvy.
"He's the most exciting colt since Pierro, he looks a bit like him, he's worth every penny and he's on the path to the Golden Slipper
"This was my most important race for him. I knew I needed this race for him to get him to think like a racehorse because he was lounging about in his trials."
"He's very special," Tommy Berry said.
"He didn't have the natural speed early and takes a while to wind-up, so I had to make a decision on the turn and it worked out well."
Bred by John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds, Vancouver was purchased by Gai Waterhouse/James Harron Bloodstock for $185,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Coolmore Stud.
A half-brother to Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Juste Momente (Giant's Causeway) and Listed stakes-winner Captain Coltish (Fusaichi Pegasus), Vancouver is the tenth named foal of the stakes-placed Danehill mare Skates a half-sister to three stakes-winners including Group III winner and sire Murtajill (Rock of Gibraltar) who won the Breeders' Plate in 2006 and to Bradbury's Luck (Redoute's Choice) who won the Listed Canonbury Stakes in 2004.
Skates is a daughter of Skating (At Talaq) an outstanding racemare whose wins included the Group I STC Winfield Classic and Group 1AJC Doncaster Handicap in addition to the Group II AJC Surround Stakes and Group III AJC Light Fingers Stakes.
Skates missed to Sepoy in 2012 before foaling a Pierro colt last spring. She was bred back to Medaglia D'Oro (USA).
