Ruakaka trainers Kenny Rae and Krystal Williams unveiled a promising young talent in the Marsden Metals Group 3YO (1400m) on their home track on Saturday afternoon.

First-starter Dan Vegas went into the race with eye-catching pedigree credentials, being by Per Incanto out of the Savabeel mare Miss Bluebell – dam of black-type performers Gringotts and Millefiori from her only two foals to race. Miss Bluebell’s dam Operavega is a half-sister to Vegas Showgirl, the stakes-winning dam of the legendary Winx.

Dan Vegas had also shown his share of ability at the trials, winning by three and a half lengths in a 1000m heat at Ruakaka on May 1. That was enough to earn him $3 favouritism for Saturday’s debut, and he made a bold first impression in the hands of jockey Jasmine Fawcett.

Fawcett was happy to press forward from gate two, and Dan Vegas showed good speed out of the gates to go straight into the lead. He dictated terms from there and then produced a strong kick in the straight, putting himself out of reach of the late-finishing second placegetter Cintivee.

Dan Vegas is bred and raced by Little Avondale Stud – home of the gelding’s outstanding sire Per Incanto – in partnership with long-time Rae stable clients Totara Park Stud.

“I didn’t really think he could win today, but I was wrong – pleasantly wrong,” Rae said. “It was a great ride by Jasmine.

“He’s been a bit of a work in progress and has over-raced in his trials, which had me a bit worried coming into a 1400m race today. But I told Jasmine to just let him run, and hopefully the others might not be able to stop him. He was impressive.

“Totara Park have been clients of ours for a long time, and we’ve had this horse in the stable for a while now. He’s had a few issues along the way, but he’s put those issues behind him and has done something today that I didn’t think he could do.

“He might come back and race again at the next meeting here (on June 29), although there might be some people interested in buying him after that win.”