Divine Prophet produced an enormous late run in the Up And Coming Stakes 2016 first-up at Royal Randwick giving Team Hawkes another very promising three-year-old ahead of the tougher Group 1 targets this spring.

Divine Prophet made a big impression first-up winning the 2016 Up And Coming Stakes at Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Choisir colt was racing for the first time since his third to Prized Icon in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) in mid-April and came into the $125,000 Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) off two Sydney trials.

Tommy Berry took him straight back to last after the jump in his return on Warwick Stakes Day, happy to give Divine Prophet a quiet ride in the raced led around by Gai Waterhouse’s The Rosebud winner Thronum.

Thronum jumped away well from the gates under James McDonald and went up for the early lead from the Lindsay Park-raced Derryn who was also away smartly on the outside in his first Sydney run.

Divine Prophet meanwhile remained at the very pack of the field and was still last when they went around the turn for home.

On the straight Thronum was quickly joined by Derryn, the two best in betting fighting it out stride for stride while the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Taj Mahal was pushing on after over-racing early.

James Cummings’ returning Champagne Stakes winner Prized Icon under the big 61kg top weight moved up to third on the outside looking to work into the finish, but they were all quickly surpassed by Divine Prophet.

With 200m left, Divine Prophet ($8) produced a massive run down the outside winding-up extremely well late to fly past the dominant duo in a brilliant last-to-first win.

It was a narrow victory on the line for the Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes-trained Up And Coming Stakes winner with Derryn ($3.60) losing few admirers in second and Thronum ($3.10) holding for third.

Prized Icon ($14) also looked to have come back well finishing off the First Four after giving all the weight away to his rivals in the set weights plus penalties clash.

It was the second Saturday in a row Hawkes Racing produced an upset in a three-years-old race after the success of Star Turn to trump the unplaced Capitalist in last weekend’s San Domenico Stakes.

The odds on Divine Prophet are now sure to firm at Ladbrokes.com.au for the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 10 with the ripping three-year-old still improving fitness-wise.

Co-trainer John Hawkes has enjoyed one Golden Rose Stakes win to date with Paratroopers (2005) over a decade ago.

Back Divine Prophet next race and check out the updated Golden Rose markets online now at Ladbrokes.com.au!

2016 Up And Coming Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Randwick Race 4 – 20/08/2016