Paulele winning at The Valley (Image: Racing Photos)
Godolphin's Australian head trainer James Cummings prepared his third Melbourne two-year-old winner of the season on Saturday, with first-starter Paulele convincingly winning the $125,000 Ladbrokes Plate (1000m) at The Valley.
Ridden by John Allen, Paulele ($8.50) broke cleanly from the outside barrier and closed strongly off the pace to score by two lengths, with Direct ($7) fighting on gamely to hold down his settling position of second and Qeyaady ($13) a further two lengths away in third.
Brazen Boy ($4.40 favourite) led at a fast pace but stopped just as quickly into eighth while nothing went right for Paulele's stablemate The Globe ($4.80).
The daughter of Frosted jumped slowly and settled last before almost falling after stumbling at halfway and then wasn't tested by Damien Oliver in the straight, finishing ninth of the 10 starters.
"They scooted along quickly," Allen said. "We were drawn wide, sat a little wide in the run but we were able to flow into it when we liked and it was evident that he had the leaders covered turning in. He wandered a bit when he hit the front.
"He won like a nice colt and I'm sure he'll have bigger targets down the line."
WATCH: Paulele's Valley win
Stable representative Sean Keogh said Paulele only made his debut after gaining the blessing of Cummings following her work at the track on Tuesday morning.
"He came down as our second bunch of two-year-olds from Crown Lodge," Keogh explained.
"Was probably the quiet achiever of the stable and the last couple of weeks he's really put it together.
"Lucky enough we had James down during the week and he enjoyed his work here at The Valley during the week and thought he could run a nice race.
"We needed James' call to run the horse because he's probably not furnished enough and where we need him at the moment - there's a lot more to come from this horse."
Paulele is by Dawn Approach, who has sired four individual Australian Stakes winners, with Diamond Thunder his lone juvenile Stakes winner.
He is out of Flying Spur dam Chatoyant, a four-time winner who won three city races between 1000 and 1100 metres and produced juvenile Group winners Montsegur and Tessera.
Cummings has prepared three winners and four minor placings from 13 starters in Melbourne two-year-old races this season, with the stable's other victories coming via Ingratiating in the Listed Darley Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) and Anamoe in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m).