Cherry Tortoni winning at The Valley (Image: Racing Photos)
Since winning two winter juvenile races at Flemington, Cherry Tortoni has been considered among the leading contenders for the Victoria Derby and just seven days from the 2500-metre Classic, he rose to the top of betting.
The Patrick Payne-trained Cherry Tortoni ($2.60 favourite) won Saturday's $300,000 Group 2 Drummond Golf Vase (2040m) for three-year-olds, looping the field as Billy Egan rode the Night Of Thunder gelding confidently from the 800-metre mark.
Khoekhoe ($4.60) threatened to overrun Cherry Tortoni early in the straight but was defeated by a short neck, with Johnny Get Angry ($13) a further seven lengths adrift in third.
"Once we got down the side, I just gave him breathing room and let him build his momentum and swoop on them over the top," Egan said.
"I know he's won a couple of races, but he's got the on-and-off ability without knowing what he is doing.
"He's got a lot of learning to do. To see what he's doing now, all natural ability, is really nice."
WATCH: Cherry Tortoni's win
Payne wasn't at The Valley to view Cherry Tortoni's first Group victory but was relieved to see him return to form after finding early trouble and finishing seventh in the $1 million Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on October 10.
"It's amazing how things can turn around, I was dirty on myself after the Sydney run but today was much better," Payne said.
"From a trainer's point-of-view, I didn't think he had a hard run. We'll never know but I still think he had something left in the tank.
"He looked like he wanted to stargaze when he got to the front but, still, it was good to see him back winning like that."
Sportsbet has Cherry Tortoni sharing favouritism for next Saturday's $2m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington alongside Albarado and Let's Karaka Deel.
"We're really mindful that, I think, he'll be a nice four, five and six-year-old," Payne said.
"It was a good tune-up for the Derby but if he shows us any signs that he doesn't want to go there then we won't."
The Danny O'Brien-trained Young Werther was due to start favourite in the Vase but was scratched on race day after O'Brien consulted his jockey Damien Oliver and both agreed on removing the Tavistock gelding from the race. Young Werther is a $6.50 chance with Sportsbet to win the Derby.