PHILADELPHIA Man confirmed his status as a big-time player with a tough, staying triumph in the $15,000 Holloway Three-Year-Old Classic, 2200m, in Ballarat on Saturday night.
Philadelphia Man ($2.70 favourite) did more work than anyone in the feature event, but was still too strong.
He held off a late charge from New South Wales Derby runner-up Regal Knight ($3.50), with leader Charlie Machsheen ($5.70) getting third.
Chris Alford swopped from midfield with 1800m to attack for the lead before settling in the deathseat.
And that is where the son of Art Major stayed.
Regal Knight found the back of Charlie Machsheen and gained an inside run in the home straight, but still could not run down the Emma-Stewart-trained Philadelphia Man.
This gives the colt nine career wins for $112,000 in stakes.
Philadelphia Man is racing in career-best form and ready to again make a play for group 1 before the season is out.
He finished a close third in the Australasian Breeders Crown last year and this series is again a major target this preparation.
Philadelphia Man gives Smythes Creek trainer Emma Stewart and largely the same ownership group two consecutive wins in the Colin and Heather Holloway Classic.
They won with Jadahson last season.
Jadahson ($1.40 favourite) was also a winner at Bray Raceway on Saturday night.
Jadahson is racing career-best form and took out a Vicbred Super Series heat for four-year-old entire and geldings, 2200m, after sitting three-wide for the last 1000m.
This gives Jadahson four win in a row, giving him 16 career wins for $140,000 ahead of a VSS semi-final appearance.
This meant a double for one of the state’s best trainer/driver combinations of Emma Stewart and Chris Alford.
Trained by Sebastopol’s Alex Douglas and driven by his son Adrian, Chateau de Ville ($3.80) made it four wins in a row in Vicbred Super Series heat for four-year-old trotters, 2200m.