A few rookie trainers manage to get enough good horses in their yard to have a city runner with their first starter.
A tiny handful manage to win with their first entry at a metropolitan meeting.
But few are those who saddle up not just the winner but the second with their first metropolitan runners – in a listed race on the major day of a carnival fixture to boot.
Then again, not many trainers get to handle a stable of class gallopers such as those owned by Lloyd Williams at his Mount Macedon base.
So while new boy Liam Howley deserves plenty of credit his feat at Caulfield on Saturday was perhaps not that surprising.
Howley, who replaced Robert Hickmott as Williams' trainer after the spring carnival, sent out the 2016 Melbourne Cup winner Almandin, top weight in the listed Mornington Cup Prelude, and the classy ex Coolmore import Homesman, bought from the Irish powerhouse as a potential Melbourne Cups horse.
They ran one and two – in reverse order – with the Ben Melham-partnered Homesman, in receipt of 3.5 kilos from the Damien Oliver-ridden Almandin, just shading the Cup hero who was shouldering 60 kilos.
Given their prominence in the market – Almandin was the $4.60 second favourite, Homesman kept safe at $7.50 – their prominent showing could have been forecast.
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But Nick Williams, representing his father, was delighted that the pair were forward enough to run so well first time out. German import Almandin's target is the Australian Cup, but Homesman, a son of the American stallion War Front, could now join him at Flemington in a fortnight.
''I couldn't be happier,'' Williams said. ''Both jockeys gave them great rides. Almandin's condition and the weight probably told on him. For Homesman's first run here it was very exciting. We might have to think where he goes next, maybe he will join Almandin in the Australian Cup.
''Homesman had shown some good form over a mile-an-a-half [2400m] at Royal Ascot in a good handicap, then probably got a bad ride but ran a creditable third in the Belmont Derby. We are encouraged, he might be a promising horse going forward.''
It wasn't quite Mornington trainer Daniel Williams' first runner, but Valiant Spirit, who led all the way under a well-judged Regan Bayliss ride, was his first winner – in the city or anywhere else for that matter – when he took out the group 2 Caulfield Autumn Classic over 1800 metres.
Bayliss is in fine form at the moment, having won the Lightning Stakes last week aboard Redkirk Warrior. The young jockey showed his confidence and judgement by dictating from the front despite the strong winds at Caulfield, keeping enough in reserve on the $16 chance to see off the favourite Astoria (3.40),with Mr So And So ($5) third.
''He's been consistent, it's the only thing he knows how to do. He just likes to bowl along in front, I knew if he was rated right he would be so strong at the finish. He loves what he does,'' said Williams, who only has this one horse. His regular job is assistant trainer/stable foreman for Tony Noonan.
''Its always been the plan to go to a Derby. We are looking at Sydney, there are a couple of routes to get there.
''I am toying with the idea of the Australian Cup [as well] simply because of the weight and the record three-year-olds have in the race.''
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