Cranbourne trainer Scott Ewen is contemplating a Victoria Derby campaign with his three-year-old pacer Hes Olly after the former New Zealander won on his Australian debut on Sunday evening.

Jumping from the pole, Hes Olly was put under early pressure but held his position on the fence while posting a slick 33.5-second lead time.

After grabbing a breather mid-race, Hes Olly withstood the late challenge from Chogi on his outside and Jekamias in the sprint lane to record a gritty victory by a head.

Hes Olly is owned by a large syndicate comprised of Ewen and his family, existing owners, and a group of first-time owners.

“I got some new people in which is good,” Ewen said. “My brother’s footy club has a punters' club with 30 people in it and that’s their first horse. Also have my two sisters and my mother – she’s 87 and she’s rapt.

“The phone was running hot straight after the run, they were all pretty happy. You get a bit spoiled when you get your first horse as your first winner. We paid a bit for him so you expect something out of him, but I think he was worth it and he’s only going to get better. We’re going to have some fun with him.”

Ewen purchased Hes Olly for NZ$18,000 on the belief that, despite his modest New Zealand form, he had the scope to continue to improve.

“I’ve got a guy who sends me emails about New Zealand horses for sale. I was looking for months when two came up – a trotter and him," he said.

"I looked up his form and studied him for a while, he was no good as a two-year-old but just got better and better. He looked pretty green but thought he had improvement in him. He won his last race in New Zealand so we enquired and bought him.”

With the purchase completed, Hes Olly crossed the Tasman and made an immediate impression on Ewen.

“When he first arrived he looked like a hairy donkey," he said. "He had had a spell over there which was probably good for him.

"In his first trial he went pretty good – he led and won but only in moderate time – but then in his Melton trial he went super. There were four Group 1 horses in it and he beat three of them home, sat outside the leader and did a great job. We knew going into Sunday he was a good chance.

“One of my owners, Tim, went back over the last three months and there hasn’t been a lead time like that even in the faster class. But he settled and stuck to his guns when they came at him and the horses coming at him weren’t bad horses, and he just kept his head in front. He’s got a lot of bottle.

“He’s still a bit hairy, but he has a good frame and looks like he’ll grow into a nice horse. I think you’ll see the best of him as a four-year-old.”

Before then, Hes Olly has some three-year-old races to contest.

“In a couple of weeks there’s a two-win three-year-old at Shepparton that’ll be suitable for him, then if all goes well there’s the Derby heats or there’s a good three-year-old race at Kilmore on Cup night.”

Ewen rounded out a memorable night two races later when he drove Captain McCraw to victory, giving him a double.

“I don’t think I’ve had one here, I think it would have been in Adelaide so it would have been over three years ago, so very happy with that too.”

WATCH HES OLLY WIN TOUGH ON DEBUT: