Jordan Childs completed a feature race double at Sandown which in turn could lead to bigger wins later in the year.
Forty mintues after guiding Cardinal Gem to victory in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) on Saturday, Childs led throughout on White Marlin to win the Group 3 Easter Cup (2100m).
The victory in the Easter Cup for White Marlin was the first run of a campaign that will lead the stayer to Caulfield and Melbourne Cup qualifying races at his next two starts.
Sent out the $2 betr favourite, White Marlin scored a 2-¼ length victory from Right You Are ($4.20) with Lunar Flare ($7) a long neck away third.
After two wins from his first two starts in Ireland, White Marlin made his way to the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable where he is unbeaten in four starts.
Waterhouse and Bott will be looking to extend that winning streak when White Marlin runs in the Mornington Cup (2400m) on April 22 and the Andrew Ramsden (2800m) at Flemington on May 13.
Success in those two races will provide White Marlin with a ballot exemption into the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup respectively.
“I think ideally he goes to a Mornington Cup next, hopefully give these guys another Cup, and then on to the Ramsden third up,” Waterhouse and Bott stable spokesman Rebecca Shanks said.
“I think he really showed that he’s got the constitution of a Melbourne Cup winner today.
“He was so tough. Jordan didn’t get the ideal run to get to where he needed to be, but he was just too good for them today and showed his class.”
Childs has struck up a successful partnership with the Waterhouse and Bott stable having ridden 10 winners from 19 rides since the start of March.
The jockey partnered Goldman to win The Roy Higgins (2600m) and qualify for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington last month for Waterhouse and Bott.
“They’re both very nice horses,” Childs said.
“Goldman was very tough the other day, but I do really like White Marlin.
“He feels like he might just be a little bit above Goldman at the moment.
“They’re both nice types and they’re both heading for a Melbourne Cup and hopefully I get to sit on one of them.”