Consistent three-year-old Puntin steps up to 1800m for the first time on Saturday when he contests the ATC Thank You Stable Staff Handicap at Randwick.
The Bjorn Baker-trained son of Super Seth has won four of his seven starts and has finished runner-up on the other three occasions including last start when slow into stride.
Jockey Ashley Morgan is confident Puntin will relish the step up in distance.
“I think he can be a stakes horse at 2000m, he’s got such a great attitude and he loves his racing. It takes him a long way,’’ Morgan told Racing NSW.
“He’ll get out of this grade and with the opinion we have of him I’d be disappointed if he didn’t.
“I think getting to this trip and beyond is going to be key to seeing where he ends up. If he can get the 2000m and see it out well there’s plenty of options for him.”
Puntin was bred by Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock, who also raced the gelding’s Caulfield Guineas-winning sire Super Seth.
Now standing at Waikato Stud, Super Seth has made an enormous impact this year with Group One-winning progeny Feroce, Linebacker, La Dorada and Maison Louis.
Puntin is out of the winning Encosta De Lago mare Stella Grace, who is a full-sister to the stakes winner Risk Aversion and a half-sister to the multiple Group Two winner Shania Dane.
Presented as a yearling by Haunui Farm during the Book 1 sale at Karaka 2023, Puntin was purchased for $60,000 by Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock.