The blinkers on and a favourable inside draw saw the Gary Moore-trained Paquirri score a big upset in the first on The Championships Day 1 saluting as a 50/1 roughie in the Kindergarten Stakes 2018 results.

Paquirri scored an upset win in the 2018 Kindergarten Stakes to kick off Day 1 racing at The Championships in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.

The opening event on a bumper 10-race card, this year’s Group 1 $200,000 Widden Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) featured a field of just nine two-year-olds and Moore’s I Am Invincible colt Paquirri was the second longest-priced juvenile in the mix.

After a trio of good placings during the summer to kick off his career, the bay was last seen running a disappointing eighth over 10 lengths beaten by Aylmerton in Randwick’s Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m).

He returned to Royal Randwick for another shot at breaking his maiden status and the change of gear saw him switch right on with the addition of blinkers.

Jockey Andrew Adkins jumped aboard for the first time and had Paquirri settled nicely in third on the fence throughout as the Lindsay Park-trained Group 3 winning filly Ennis Hill led the field around.

Midrace jockey Mark Zahra made a move on Gerald Ryan’s Todman Stakes fourth placed Not A Single Doubt colt Legend Of Condor who went around the field out wide moving up into second.

Ennis Hill retained the lead upon turning, while Legend Of Condor drew up to her once on the straight.

The danger late however was the fast-finishing Paquirri ($51) down the outside who drew clear in the final furlong for an authoritative one and a half-length win over Legend Of Condor ($4.40) who held for second a length clear of the beaten Chris Waller-trained favourite Lean Mean Machine ($3.80) in third.

“It was a nice win by this fellow, blinkers on really excelled him today and Gary was desperate for me to be in the top four with him,” Adkins said post-win.

“He really showed a bit of fight when I asked him to get out and rattle home he done well and that really switched him on.

“He is a really nice horse in the making and is improving every start, he didn’t run that great last start, we got back a little bit and he reared when the gates opened so it was a nice form turnaround for him.”

Paquirri’s Rosehill-based trainer Moore said he had always believed the youngster had ability, but that bad draws had hampered his early career.

“I always thought he had a bit of ability,” he said.

“But he always would draw poorly.

“He’s shown his true colours today.”

Paquirri is likely to head out to the paddock now and be freshened-up for a spring return.

Check out the remainder of the Randwick racing odds across the card this afternoon online now at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2018 Kindergarten Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Randwick Race 1 – 07/04/2018