THE former Aidan O’Brien-trained Homesman has won on debut in Australia. Trained by Liam Howley for majority owners Lloyd and Nick Williams, the War Front gelding held a slight edge over his stablemate, the 2016 Emirates Melbourne Cup winner Almandin, winning by a nose in the Mornington Cup Prelude over 2,000 metres at Caulfield.

“The two horses went particularly well first-up,” said Nick Williams. “It’s very exciting, maybe he (Homesman) might join Almandin in the ($1.5 million Group 1) Australian Cup (March 10th). We’ll just wait and see on that. They’ve both got plenty of improvement in them so today’s a great kick off with them.”

Last year, Homesman won the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh before going on to finish third in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes.

GAILO CHOP

The French-bred Gailo Chop, a seven-year-old Deportivo gelding, will head into the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington a firm favourite following his decisive win in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes over 1,800 metres at Caulfield on Saturday.

Controlling the race from the front, the Darren Weir-trained charge showed a clean pair of heels to his rivals, leaving the minor spoils to Single Gaze and Hartnell in third.

“He went at a good strong gallop. It was a beautiful bring-on gallop to have him fit enough for the 2,000 metres (of the Australian Cup) in a couple of weeks,” said Weir. “It was a tremendous win.”