It's always encouraging to see a debutant come through his Happy Valley baptism with flying colours and Derek Cruz's three-year-old Fame And Wealth (10-1) fits squarely in that category after a promising third behind Super Fairway in last night's Class Four opener over 1,200 metres.
Senior local rider Eddie Lai settled the New Zealand-bred on the fence in fourth spot early and he settled kindly before sticking to the task well to hold down third spot, just two lengths from the winner.
By Paris Opera out of a Vice Regal mare, Fame And Wealth is bred for speed and should be progressing out of this grade before season's end.
Later, there was an eye-catching effort from another first-starter, the Geoff Lane-trained Silent Partner (48-1), who was beaten for early speed but worked home better than most in the Class Three minimum dash won by course specialist Dragon's Pal.
Keep him safe over longer.TLP
