A stunning last-to-first effort from Defcon (Choisir) in the Black Opal Stakes (1200m) helped redeem an up-and-down weekend for leading trainers Peter and Paul Snowden.
The father-son combination's number one seed for the Golden Slipper, Capitalist, was rolled as a $1.22 favourite in Saturday's Todman Stakes, but they've got another live chance in Australia's richest two-year-old race after Defcon's performance.
After finishing second in his first two starts, the boom colt broke his maiden in style in Canberra's $275,000 Group 3 - but it wasn't as straightforward as planned.
Defcon missed the kick badly at the start - jockey Blake Shinn admitted his heart sunk at that moment - but he remained patient, taking advantage of the fast pace before sweeping around the field and unleashing a devastating finishing burst in the straight.
"We spoke four times about how to ride him and coming from last was never in any of the conversations," Peter Snowden said.
"He relaxed well and produced a sterling turn of foot - he's always had that great acceleration, it was just a matter of timing it right.
"He just had a bit on them. It was a great result."
CrownBet slashed Defcon's Slipper price from $26 to $15 after the victory.
RACING.COM
