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A Listed race will be the next target for the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Calgary Stampede.
Superbly bred colt Calgary Stampede has earned a shot at next month's Inglis Nursery with a classy debut win at Rosehill.
Co-trainer Paul Snowden said the two-year-old had shown ability from the outset and had the temperament to match his talent.
After getting the job done on Wednesday, Calgary Stampede will have the bar raised and head towards the $400,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick on Villiers Stakes day.
"He is an Inglis graduate so that seems a likely stepping stone for him," Paul Snowden said.
"He was in very good order leading into today and there is certainly a little bit of improvement left in him. Just his attitude and constitution at home, he seems to take everything in his stride, which is what you want to see in a two-year-old.
"It's good to see him come through the system and win his debut and hopefully there are some good wins in store for him."
A $350,000 Easter yearling purchase, Calgary Stampede is by leading sire Snitzelway out of multiple stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Nayeli.
Sent out a $2.20 favourite on the back of a couple of handy barrier trials, he trailed the speed and knuckled down to his task late to reel in Waverider Buoy ($4) by a long neck with leader Swift Sweet ($6.50) holding third, another length away.
Winning jockey Tommy Berry said Calgary Stampede had a laidback attitude but responded when prompted for a serious effort.
"He is an absolute dude. He just does whatever you ask him," Berry said.
"He put himself into the race and relaxed really well but when he first came off the bridle - he hasn't really had a good click-up at home yet because he's done everything so comfortably - that's probably the first time he's really had to come off the bridle and find something.
"I was really happy the last hundred. He stretched out really well."
Tulloch Lodge filly Shihonka is also destined to chase loftier targets after her win in the Precise Fire Handicap (1200m) with co-trainer Adrian Bott nominating the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast in January as a goal.
The stakes placegetter failed to handle Caulfield when sent south for a recent Group assignment but showed she was back on track with her victory on Wednesday.
Shihonka was the first of three winners for Bott and Gai Waterhouse, who also claimed victories with Nothinsweetaboutme and So United.
