Golden Slipper winner Farnan is on the board with his first winner after brilliant colt North England improved from a placing in the Group III ATC Breeders Plate to win the $1million Group III ATC Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, North England did everything right for Tim Clark and kicked away with a furlong to run before holding off the late challenging Wootton Bassett (GB) colt West of Swindon to win by a long neck.

“He’s a push button colt with a great demeanour,” said Tim Clark.

“He’s just got the right attitude for an early two year-old and he was able to handle the prep for the Breeders and then only a very short turnaround to come here.

“It’s exciting to know that he’s in the Slipper now and Gai and Adrian can just plot their way towards that race.”

North England was a $280,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Valiant Stud for China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock / Go Bloodstock / Trilogy and with over $600,000 in the bank from his first two starts will be assured of a Golden Slipper start next year.

Bred by Zhongli Thoroughbreds, North England is the first winner from three runners from Our Belisa, a metro winning Lope de Vega (IRE) mare from the family of Group winners Cracke Me Up and Hoofit as well as this season’s stakes-winner A Little Deep.