Anthony Cummings’ promising three-year-old Indy Car produced a big finish in the $150,000 Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) on Day 2 of The Championships to earn a Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas target next race.

Indy Car is onto the 2020 Hawkesbury Guineas on ANZAC Day after a Randwick win on The Championships Day 2. Photo: Steve Hart.

In-form UK hoop Tom Marquand continued his outstanding Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival in Australia with another Black-Type win, this time partnering up-and-coming Sebring gelding Indy Car to victory in the second on Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day.

The progressive chestnut backed-up off a narrow 1100m win first-up at Randwick’s Kensington track showing enormous potential going straight up to 1400m second-up to make it two-from-two this preparation.

“He’s a really nice horse and this was a nice race for him to progress from his first-up win,” Cummings told the media.

“He’s taken that step and I think he’ll continue up the ladder as he goes.

“He’s above average certainly…there was good speed on in today’s race for him and he really relishes that.”

The Waterhouse-Bott Golden Rose fourth placegetter Yao Dash was favourite with the punters in the quality handicap clash and showed good muster early to lead from Hilo and Knickpoint.

Godolphin’s Lonhro gelding Hilo and jockey Rachel King didn’t give the top elect an easy time in the lead, going up on the outside and forcing the field to go along at a good clip.

Marquand meanwhile moved up three-wide midrace starting his move from a midfield position aboard Indy Car who had settled nicely just off the pace.

At the top of the straight, Hilo really poured the pressure on Yao Dash and got his head in front before Indy Car ($6) revved up on the outside getting to the front 250m out from the line.

The eventual winner drew clear and hit the line one and a half lengths ahead of the luckless Brad Widdup-trained Sacred Falls filly Icebath ($7) who produced a powerful late surge to move up into second off a luckless run having been caught up at a vital stage that cost her the race.

It was back-to-back seconds for the Widdup stable on the day following the earlier brave performance by two-year-old Wheelhouse behind Untamed in the Fernhill Mile.

In third rounding out the South Pacific Classic trifecta in a photo for the other minor placing meanwhile was the on-speed Hilo ($3.80).

Cummings confirmed plans to race on with Indy Car with a next-up run on ANZAC Day, April 25, at Rosehill Gardens in the Group 3 $160,000 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m).

From there the horse could potentially continue onto Queensland’s abbreviated winter carnival for a shot at the Group 3 $200,000 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) over the mile at Eagle Farm on June 6.

“Racing NSW, many thinks to them…the 1400m Guineas is run on that day and he’ll go there,” Cummings confirmed.

“There is also a three-year-old mile in Queensland after that.

“Certainly, he’s a nice horse going places.”

2020 South Pacific Classic Results