Nantucket's Clock Breaking Maiden

Levi Kavanagh will target the lucrative Inglis Race Series with Nantucket following his 1000-metre maiden victory in slick time at Bendigo on Wednesday.

Rider Joe Bowditch had partnered Nantucket, a three-year-old Rubick gelding, into second at all three starts as a juvenile in metropolitan company.

Flying Finch ($5.50) and Wildfire Rose ($17), out of multiple city-winning mare Oamaru Rose, set a blistering tempo in the maiden as the pair led Nantucket by six lengths at midway.

"They (Flying Finch and Wildfire Rose) tore away in the lead and that left us back a fair way, but Joe (Bowditch) was patient on him and timed his run," Levi said.

"It was nail-biting towards the end there, but he (Nantucket) got stuck into his work and reeled off some good late sectionals and just got there.

"I'm sure Joe was riding as hard as he could, I'm sure he didn't want to run second again."

Levi identified the $1 million Inglis Sprint (1200m) at Randwick on February 6 and $500,000 Inglis Dash (1100m) at Flemington three weeks later - both three-year-old sale-restricted races - as likely long-term aims for Nantucket.

"There's still a lot of improvement to come because I'm hopeful of stepping him through his grades this time in," Levi said of Nantucket, who was purchased for $40,000 at the 2019 Inglis Classic yearling sale.

"I didn't want him ready to go straight away so that was a great run and he'll take great improvement from the race."

Nantucket's winning time of 57.50 seconds is the second-fastest over Bendigo's 1000-metre journey over the past 12 months, quicker than the maiden victories of subsequent city performers Ms Catherine, Maha, Masked Crusader and Minhaaj, all on tracks rated Good 4.

The winning time of Swats That in March's $250,000 VOBIS Gold Rush remains the quickest during the period at 57.36s. Swats That recently finished runner-up to September Run in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 31.

Nantucket's next race will likely be on Pakenham Cup Day, Saturday 5th December. There looks to be a suitable race for 3YOs only, over 1000m.

Article (part-of) courtesy of Racing.com