The highly regarded Iconic Moment saw off stable-mate New Definition to give trainer James Tate a one-two in the Listed talkSPORT Spring Cup at Lingfield Park this afternoon.
Iconic Moment was the only contender in the seven-strong line-up defending an unbeaten record after recording a pair of impressive novice victories at Chelmsford last year.
Sent off the 11/8 favourite, the QIPCO 2000 Guineas entry raced in rear of midfield under Rossa Ryan while the two fillies Minnetonka and Candle Of Hope disputed the lead early on.
Minnetonka went on approaching halfway of the seven-furlong contest before New Definition moved up on the home turn, with Iconic Moment making progress on his outside.
The trio were virtually in line passing the furlong pole before New Definition edged his way to the front soon after, only for Iconic Moment to eventually wear him down in the final stride. The winning margin was a short-head, with Tenjin a length further back in third.
The talkSPORT Spring Cup was a Fast-Track Qualifier and Iconic Moment may now bid to double up in the £150,000 All-Weather Three-Year-Old Championships at Newcastle on Finals Day.
Tate said: “Iconic Moment has a little bit extra at home but New Definition knows what to do and is professional – he probably doesn’t give quite as much at home as he would on the track.
“New Definition raced professionally whereas Iconic Moment was quite frankly all over the place, showing talent but also that he is still green.
“Iconic Moment should operate on the grass. I don’t think he would be a soft-ground horse but the question now is do we go seven furlongs or a mile as he was definitely a little out-paced there.
“We will see what is in the All-Weather Championships final as well as that is a £150,000 race, which is not to be sniffed at. If he was the best horse in there, we could take that en route to other things.”
Ryan said: “Iconic Moment is still very green and this was a massive step up, so he definitely has a lot of class, especially as it was his first run of the year and he probably needed it.
“I was everywhere where I wanted to be. I knew New Definition would take me a long way into the race and, down the side of the track, we were trapping along and I was travelling lovely.
“Iconic Moment is still a bit raw and there was a reason I had to come three-wide. I would have loved to have sat in to the straight and then pulled him out but I knew I had to get him rolling and it still took him a good while to get going.
“I would say that he will stay a mile. The talent is there but he does not know how to put it all together yet. He will be a work in progress for James and, come mid-season, he will start to flourish.”