A brilliant ride from Tom Marquand in Saturday’s Group 3 Schewppervescence has seen the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Holyfield firm from $51 into $12 ahead of next week’s Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick.

The two-year-old I Am Invincible colt set a frantic pace from the barriers before Marquand put his foot down at the final turn to win by half a length. A late challenge by fellow double-digit pop Untamed loomed on the inside, but Holyfield’s turn of foot proved enough to secure his third win from four starts.

Holyfield has firmed from $51 into $12 for the Inglis Sires’ on April 4 at Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.

“He is obviously a horse with plenty of ability. He got a bit worked up in the prelims. He has put in some fairly decent performances at his last few runs and I was always confident that it was going to be a good draw to be able to work the race out how I wanted it to,” Marquand told Sky Racing. 

“To be fair everything fell perfectly and as soon as the other horse joined him up the 250m or 300m he battled on really well all the way through the line. There was never a moment’s doubt.”

Holyfield won a midweek 2YO handicap race at Sandown back in February before failing to run a place in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ at Flemington on March 7. He’s now looking to become Maher and Eustace’s first Sires’ winner, but stable representative Annabel Neesham indicated that they might have their eyes on an even bigger prize.

“He (Holyfield) is always quick away, we thought he would end up in that spot. They all concertinaed up towards the turn but he kicked for home and he just kept finding the line,” Neesham said of Saturday’s win.

“If we are still racing we’ll probably press onto a Champagne.”

Untamed has also firmed in the all-in 2020 Inglis Sires’ betting market at Ladbrokes.com.au from $34 into $19.

The full market can be viewed by clicking here.

2020 The Schweppervescence Results