1 Sep 2024Convener turned his form around in dramatic style at Caulfield to earn himself a possible stakes tilt.
The French-bred son of Almanzor had gone winless for 16 months before he produced a stirring finish over 1800 metres to down his Benchmark 78 rivals and have trainer Ciaron Maher considering a sterner test.
“He’s got something there, but we haven’t been able to get it out of him until now,” he said.
“We could go down the path of the Naturalism (G3, 2000m) with a light weight, you’ve got to dare to dream.”
A 31-1 chance, Convener settled back of midfield before picking up ground 600 metres from home and rounded off strongly in the straight for rider Ben Allen.
“The blinkers were off and he was much better, more relaxed the firm track is more his go,” he said.
“We got into a perfect spot to put him to sleep and got a good suck into the race and he was too good.”
Convener was a two-time winner over ground in England when known as Chairman before relocating to Australia where he has now doubled his career winning tally.
He is a son of the unraced Champs Elysee mare Nimbin and is out of a sister to the multiple Group 1 winner and sire Beat Hollow.