The Mark Newman-trained Lanciato stamped himself a genuine lightweight chance in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile following a last to first performance in Friday's Group III Newcastle Newmarket (1200m).
A last start winner of the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens, Lanciato has now won five of his last six starts.
The former New Zealander looked to be in trouble when he was back last on the rails. When Rachell King switched the 5yo son of Per Incanto to the centre of the track he picked off runner after runner to win running away from Mr Sea Wolf (IRE) with Shiraz back in third.
"He's a hard horse to watch," Newman admitted.
"He leaves you wondering whether he is going to make it in time.
"It's a big advantage having someone who has enough faith in him to ride him that way. Once he got clear ground and wound up, he can let down like that.
"He went from looking like he was in a lot of trouble with 300 to go and with 100 to go he had them covered.
"He's real routine horse, he likes his races spaced, he likes to be ridden a certain way and he loves good ground. "He has all of those factors today and got a 10 out of 10 ride by Rachell.
"I think we will head to the Doncaster and hope we get the weather gods on our side."
Winner of two of his seven starts in New Zealand when trained by Stephen Marsh, Lanciato advances his overall record to 7 wins, 3 seconds and 4 thirds from 20 starts with earnings of $381,930.
Not offered as a yearling, Lanciato is the third named foal of the winning O'Reilly mare Surreptitious whose pedigree is largely devoid of stakes winners until the fourth generation, however, his fifth dam Belle Spi is a half-sister to the great sprinter Ripa and the Caulfield Guineas winner Prince Lea.
