Craig Williams and Behemoth return to scale (Image: Racing Photos)
The money trail suggested Behemoth would be a force to be reckoned with at his Victorian debut and the sizeable three-year-old provided a performance that suggests he might have more of a future in this state.
The South Australian-trained gelding was strongly supported to start favourite in the opening race at The Valley and easily accounted for his rivals, including Smart Elissim, who had been previously tested in Stakes company.
Behemoth, under the guidance of Craig Williams, settled off the pace in the small field but quickly asserted his dominance when asked to improve into the race, looping the field and racing away to win by three-and-a-half lengths in a time of 1:10.28.
"I have told all and sundry for the last couple of weeks that he might be something special, we didn't expect him to do that today,” said Sam Lyons, who manages Grand Syndications, the ownership group of Behemoth.
"Full credit to David Jolly, he has done a wonderful job with this horse, he is a big dopey bloke, he has it all ahead of him.
"We don't think he is a 1200-metre horse, we think he will develop in to a nice miler.
"We really brought him here to audition for the autumn, we were happy for him to hit the line and Craig to get off and say he is a nice horse worthy of bringing back."
WATCH: Behemoth's win
Behemoth was initially purchased for $120,000 as a weanling in 2016 but then only fetched $6000 when put through ring as a yearling in 2017.
"He was only having his fourth run, he is still big and very raw," said winning jockey Williams.
"He has still got a lot to come on and today's experience will do him the world, but there is a lot of natural raw ability.
"He ended up getting into a nice rhythm, I followed the back of the favourite and I thought I'd get him out and get striding and well, within three strides I had the race in my keeping and then he was just too good for them.
"Smart Elissim is a good benchmark horse for that Stakes, Group 3 level and this horse played with them today, as long as he keeps going the right way he has got the ability."