It’s always nice to break your maiden in a stakes race and that is exactly what Capitalist colt Amazing Eagle did at Randwick on Saturday when leading his rivals a merry dance in the Listed ATC Sir Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m).

Trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Amazing Eagle showed good ability in three starts last season and was placed in all of them including a third in the Group III Canberra Black Opal Stakes.

Resuming from a spell with two trial wins under his belt, Amazing Eagle went forward to lead under Tyler Schiller and gave a good kick turning for home before holding off a determined challenge from $1.1million Snitzel colt Manos to win by half a head in a thriller with another Capitalist colt King of Roseau a close third.

Gerald Ryan has always thought highly of Amazing Eagle, but has had to be patient to see potential rewarded with a stakes victory.

“He ran well at his first start and started favourite after winning two trials, then he got a temperature and then later we went to Canberra twice and hw was OK, but he pulled up after that with a little small chip in a knee, so we took it out and gave him a nice long spell and he’s come back a lot stronger horse and more mentally switched on,” Ryan said.

A $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from Highgrove Stud for George Moore Bloodstock, Amazing Eagle runs for John Moore and TFI. He is the third winner from three foals to race from winning Charge Forward mare Taliqua, a daughter of stakes-winner Anacarde and half-sister to the dam of Group III winner Allergic.

Amazing Eagle is the 21st stakes-winner for Newgate Farm’s Capitalist.