The ATC Carbine Club Stakes 2020 winner Entente improved from a Hawkesbury maiden to take out the Group 3 at Royal Randwick on Doncaster Day ahead of a next-up run back at the track in the Group 3 $160,000 Frank Packer Plate (2000m).

ATC Carbine Club Stakes winner Entente will race next-up in the Frank Packer Plate. Photo: Steve Hart.

Dynamic Sydney training duo Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott continued their outstanding autumn early on Day 1 of The Championships with progressive Dundeel gelding Entente leading all-the-way for an impressive victory in the Group 3 $200,000 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m).

The up-and-comer came off his breakthrough win over 1800m at Hawkesbury on March 17 and the Heavy (8) Randwick track helped Entente cope with the drop back to a mile when stepping up in grade for the Carbine.

Jockey Tim Clark continued his association with the young staying type and gave the horse a peach of a ride up front from the jump, holding on despite a late challenge from Gerald Ryan’s Group 2 placed Snitzel colt Bottega to win his first Carbine Club Stakes in Sydney.

Clark dictated terms throughout leading a strung-out field, Entente sitting ahead of Power Scheme and Grand Piano who was ridden a lot closer in the run up in third.

The favourite Reloaded got the inside run, advancing his position in the early stages to settle fourth the fence, while the returning Kubrick was ridden very quietly in last.

Entente ($17) lead onto the straight, Clark coming off the rails and unable to be caught by rival hoop Brenton Avdulla who just ran out of ground on Bottega ($12) who powered into second just a head off the winner.

Lindsay Park’s Fiorente gelding Power Scheme ($14) rounded out the Carbine Club Stakes trifecta a further length and a half back in third ahead of the John Thompson-trained Grand Piano (4^th) and the disappointing fifth-placed favourite Reloaded.

Traditionally Sydney’s Carbine Club Stakes winner during The Championships would be aimed at the Group 1 Queensland Derby over the winter in Brisbane, which Bott admitted had been the plan for Entente.

The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival however has been cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic with a spring target more likely for the bulk of The Championships Day 1 winners now.

Entente however will race on, returning to Randwick on April 18 and rising in distance for the 2020 Frank Packer Plate.

“I think a race like the Frank Packer Plate would be ideal,” Bott told Sky Racing after the victory.

“Originally we had him pencilled in for the Queensland Derby…but we’ve obviously very quickly had to rethink those plans.

“That’s the main reason he’s here today and it’s worked out well for him.”

Visit Ladbrokes.com.au to back Entente next race at the best Sydney racing odds online.

2020 Carbine Club Stakes Results