It has been a perfect start to life in Australia for one of Harkness trainer Joe Pace's latest stable acquisitions, Doubtless Bay.
The lightly-raced son of Bettors Delight had five winless starts in New Zealand for Tony Herlihy before being bought by Pace, who quickly broke the maiden tag with a front-running triumph at Maryborough on February 22.
But it was the horse's big effort in the Golf House Hotel Pace at Ballarat on March 4 which caught the eye enough to warrant the focus of this week's Time Is Money column.
After drifting towards the tail of the field from the wide back row draw, Pace sent the four-year-old three-deep into the back straight the final time. The horse tracked up Exalted Figure until the home straight and then flattened out for a sprint to the line. It took until the shadows of the post to find the front, but he eventually did to win by a half head.
Keeping in mind he was three-wide, Doubtless Bay recorded by far the quickest last 800m sectional of the Ballarat meeting (55.75sec) and also the fifth fastest final 400m (27.63sec).
Pace said there was plenty of upside with the horse - who still does a few things wrong in his races - and is clearly excited by what might be in store.
"He's got what every trainer wants in a horse. He's got the gate speed, he can lead, he can sit and sprint and it doesn't matter what tempo they are going," Pace said.
"At home when I work him with Rock N Roll Chapel and Forty Thieves - better horses - he's absolutely cruising and when I come off their back he just goes ‘whooshka’, straight past them.
"I do say to myself: 'This horse just feels a million dollars'. But he's got to show me on the racetrack and not at home."
WATCH DOUBTLESS BAY'S RUN AT BALLARAT BELOW
THE NUMBERS
DOUBTLESS BAY
GOLF HOUSE HOTEL PACE (2200m) - 1st
LEAD TIME: 46.05sec
LAST MILE: 1:57.35min
LAST 800m: 55.75sec
LAST 400m: 27.63sec
WHERE TO NEXT?
Doubtless Bay will head back to Bray Raceway at Ballarat on March 18.
FASTEST FIVE
BALLARAT, MARCH 4
LAST 400m
TWISTED BLISS 27.22sec - 3rd TOMAS GRACA TENNIS 3YO PACE
ORCHID STRIDE 27.33sec - 1st TOMAS GRACA TENNIS 3YO PACE
MADAZALWAYS 27.56sec - 2nd ROB BENOIT TENNIS CLAIMING PACE
AHA REACTION 27.60sec - 1st ROB BENOIT TENNIS CLAIMING PACE
DOUBTLESS BAY 27.63sec - 1st GOLF HOUSE HOTEL PACE
LAST 800m
DOUBTLESS BAY 55.75sec - 1st GOLF HOUSE HOTEL PACE
TWISTED BLISS 56.15sec - 3rd TOMAS GRACA TENNIS 3YO PACE
EXALTED FIGURE 56.23sec - 3rd GOLF HOUSE HOTEL PACE
ORCHID STRIDE 56.27sec - 1st TOMAS GRACA TENNIS 3YO PACE
MADAZALWAYS 56.27sec - 2nd ROB BENOIT TENNIS CLAIMING PACE
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SECTIONALS FOR EVERY RUNNER AT BALLARAT
MELTON, MARCH 6
LAST 400m
MAJESTIC CRUISER 26.35sec - 2nd CATANACH'S JEWELLERS MARKOVINA FREE FOR ALL
TIME TO REACT 26.38sec - 3rd DNR LOGISTICS PACE
ZADAKA 26.74sec - 8th CATANACH'S JEWELLERS MARKOVINA FREE FOR ALL
RYLEY MAJOR 26.76sec - 4th CATANACH'S JEWELLERS MARKOVINA FREE FOR ALL
ROSARITO MISS 26.78sec - 2nd DNR LOGISTICS PACE
LAST 800m
MAJESTIC CRUISER 54.19sec - 2nd CATANACH'S JEWELLERS MARKOVINA FREE FOR ALL
ZADAKA 54.57sec - 8th CATANACH'S JEWELLERS MARKOVINA FREE FOR ALL
RYLEY MAJOR 54.60sec - 4th CATANACH'S JEWELLERS MARKOVINA FREE FOR ALL
IDEALSOMEMAGIC 54.79sec - 7th CATANACH'S JEWELLERS MARKOVINA FREE FOR ALL
LIKE A WILDFIRE 54.90sec - 3rd CATANACH'S JEWELLERS MARKOVINA FREE FOR ALL