Promising freshman aimed at majors

PROMISING freshman Usyk will be given a short break before embarking on another feature campaign.

Having his third start for Russell Jack when competing in Melton last night, Usyk maintained a perfect record for the veteran horseman by securing the Youthful Stake.

Impressed with the two-year-old's progress, Jack has set his sights on the Vicbred Super Series with the son of Ultimate Sniper.

"David (Jack) had him early on and he was doing a good job, but I think he has gotten sharper since he got here," Jack said.

"The point of him coming across was so he could work with other horses to sharpen him up and that's what has happened.

"I really like him...he does everything right and seems to have a decent motor.

"He'll have a little break now then I'll get him going for the Sires' and Breeders' Crown later on."

With Jack' son Nathan in the cart, Usyk led throughout from barrier two to score by 14-and-a-half metres from his stablemate, Island Yankee.

Kitzbuhel Delight was five metres away third.

Rating 1:53.2 over 1720 metres, Usyk took his record to five wins and three placings from 10 starts.

"We were hoping they could run the quinella, but didn't know how good the opposition was," Jack said. "The winner is going really well and we felt he had them covered.

"We did think the other one could run second with the right run and it worked out nicely."