Clinton McDonald has had a remarkable success in targeting the early weight for age races, particularly at his home track Caulfield.

There he was on Saturday, with Second Effort, taking out the Bletchingly Stakes, a race he had previously won with Regal Roller, eight years ago.

The plan is now firmly set, the next move is the Peter Lawrence Stakes, formerly the Liston Stakes, Regal Roller won the race nine years earlier, while Second Effort is on track to repeat his win of last year.

The Bletchingly didn’t pan out as expected when Elite Elle was left at the barrier, with race changing complexion, minus a genuine pace maker; she was never in the hunt at any stage thereafter.

Second Effort winning the Bletchingly Stakes

Second Effort travelled well in running, he raced in the middle of the field until called upon by Brad Rawiller, he rode the perfect race.

Pago Rock was disappointing after having won the Sir John Monash Stakes at his previous start, he only ran on fairly, he was a beaten horse a fair way out.

He may have been better off if his races were spaced further apart, that was the view of David Hayes’s foreman, Bruno Rouge-Serret.

Second Effort is by Mossman, a much underrated sire; he can get a good horse, they keep bobbing up with regularity such as Buffering, Love Conquers All, Triple Elegance, plus numerous other winners.

The return to scale