Luke Pepper considers Fox Beat an out-and-out stayer and in the opening event at Towac Park on Friday the five-year-old gelding showed just why.
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Fox Beat produced a perfect run to take out the Spanline Benchmark 66 Handicap (2100m).
Jockey Simon Miller wasn't phased when Savvy Valentino ($2.70) and the Kody Nestor-trained Dad's Boy ($3.90) went hammer and tongs early and led the rest of the field by close to seven lengths at one point.
Miller made his move late and Fox Beat ($2.80) mowed down a tiring Dad's Boy with ease before flying past the favourite late on.
"When they really put the hot tempo on it really suited us," Canberra-based Pepper told Sky Throughbred Central after the win.
"He was a little aggressive early in the race but once he got calm and they rolled on it really helped him and, as I've said, he's a genuine stayer and I think the further he goes the better he's going to get."
The win made it back-to-back wins for Fox Beat, who only joined Pepper's stable midway through this year.
With races more than 2000m hard to come by, Pepper added the city may now be calling for Fox Beat.
Savvy Valentino was second, ahead of Dad's Boy.
Bjorn Baker followed Pepper's opening win with an early double.
The Hawkesbury trainer scored back-to-back wins with Brazen Gem and Modernity.
Brazen Gem held on to win the Epiroc Maiden Handicap (1000m) from She's Smart and one-time Towac trainer Garry Portelli in a photo before Modernity scored a strong win in the Angullong Wines Maiden Plate (1280m).