Apache Cat showed conclusively that he is ready for the world stage when resuming for his autumn and winter campaign with a dominant sprint win in the $500,000, Group I, Sydney City Lexus TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Trained by Greg Eurell at Cranbourne, Victoria, and ridden by Corey Brown, the five-year-old Lion Caven gelding took awhile to wind up on the heavy (8) track, but once he did he went past the leader Takeover Target to go away for 2 3/4L win.

Reigning To Win (King Of Kings) caught Takeover Target on the line for a short half-head second place and Cent For Cent was fourth. The time was 1.11.80 and the final 600m was covered in 37.19.

Takeover Target and Jay Ford broke well from the outside barrier of eight and settled outside Magnus and Damien Oliver. Apache Cat was fifth racing on the outside and it was not until they turned for the run up the hill that Brown set Apache Cat after Takeover Target.

They were giving away 3L, but eventually Apache Cat gathered momentum and then he was past, and gone for the post. First Brisbane in two weeks, and then Japan and the Group I Sprinters Stakes over 1200m on turf on October 5th, and then onto Hong Kong for the Group I Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin, in December.

“That was a terrific result, the way he got to the line in the end, and once he got past them it was all over,” said Eurell.

“I was a little worried at the bottom of the turn when I saw Corey working on him a little, but once he appeared to balance up he was right.

“He does like to chase and when he can see his opposition he is a lot better off.

“He will have two more runs in this time in and then we will consider Japan,” he said.

“He is just the perfect racehorse,” said Brown.

“He jumps, he travels, but it took awhile to get going in the going, but once I took him up the rise he attacked the line really well,” he said.

“He is a real people’s horse and he knows it. He is a bit of a show pony really,” he added.

Jay Ford said that he thought that Takeover Target would be much better on a better surface and that his next run, in the $S1m, Group I, KrisFlyer International Sprint (1200m) at Kranji, would see a fitter horse.

Apache Cat will race in the $400,000, Group I, WFA Jacob’s Creek Sparkling BTC Cup (1200m) on May 10th, and the $650,000, Group I, WFA Carlton Draught Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on May 24th.

Apache Cat, out of the Whisky Road mare Tennessee Blaze, has now raced 28 times for 14 wins, including the last three being Group I wins in succession after the Lightning Stakes at Flemington and the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley.

He is owned by PF Radford, Mrs RN Lawrie, GE and Ms ST Riddell and Mrs MB and KJ Lofthouse and they have earned stakes of $2,665,225.