Gavin Lang and Philadelphia Man coast to victory at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night.
The Emma Stewart’s stable is not short on star power.
The Smythes Creek trainer has Restrepo and Guaranteed already firing on the open-age circuit, but the re-emergence of stablemate Philadelphia Man after a long layoff has the stable glowing.
“We’re pretty excited about what’s ahead for Philadelphia Man,” Stewart said.
“He loves to compete.
“Friday night didn’t surprise us because we know how good he is and how good he’s been going.”
Philadelphia Man swept the Vicbred Super Series for three-year-old colts and geldings in 2012, culminating in a 1.9-metre win over Keayang Steamer in the Group 1 final, before easily taking out his Breeders Crown heat.
But injury curtailed his Breeders Crown ambitions, and halted Philadelphia Man’s career, the son of Art Major/My Liberty Belle breaking his pastern.
His recovery from that injury was halted when it was found a screw that had been put into Philadelphia Man’s leg was affecting his joints, so the stable sent him out again.
The next effort to bring him back to the racetrack was thwarted when it was realised Philadelphia Man had picked up a stress fracture in his cannon bone.
“It was just annoying because every time we got him nearly ready to go something else would come up,” Stewart said.
“We always knew how good he is though and we were going to be patient with him.”
Philadelphia Man started $2 favourite in the 1720-metre Empire Stallions Vicbred Platinum Pace at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night and won like an even-money pop should, cruising home by 7.8 metres over Jilliby Master in a slick rate of 1:53.4.
Philadelphia Man will head to the Smoken Up Sprint on Friday, November 7, before pushing on to the Miracle Mile at Menangle.
Stewart will then decide if the Victoria and Hunter Cups are on the radar, but at this stage they very much are.
Asked where she thought Philadelphia Man stands in her stable’s talent chart, Stewart remarked that it was “hard to line them up” but added: “Probably better than Restrepo but not sure about Guaranteed”.