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By Ray Hickson

There was a touch of tradesman about the debut win of high profile colt Profondo but trainer Richard Litt is adamant he’s more dynamic and would like to see it in Saturday’s Group 3 $200,000 ACY Securities Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill.

Trainer Richard Litt (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The $1.9m purchase kicked off his career in perfect style at the start of the month but it wasn’t the Profondo that showed a sharp turn of foot in his string of trial wins.

Litt said there has been improvement in the three-year-old’s fitness and that could be the key to bringing out the acceleration he’s seen at home.

“I think it was a good first-up win, he will improve a lot off that,’’ he said.

“It was a good tough win and I believe he has a better turn of foot to offer than he had that day. Whether it was the way the track was playing I don’t know.

"It’s a big jump to 1800m but I think we have got him good for it."

Robbie Dolan settled Profondo midfield in his maiden win over 1400m on the Kensington track where he made his run down the centre, edging away inside the last 50m, on a day where the rest of the winners over the shorter trips found the fence in running or led.

There was a sense of relief from Litt after that win, given Profondo's price tag gave him a profile before he'd even raced, but it also vindicated his belief that the horse has plenty of talent.

And he did show some stamina in that race clocking the fastest last 200m of 12.08 (Punter's Intelligence).

The colt was $4.40 with TAB on Thursday as he rises to Group 3 level and if he’s in the finish he’ll likely progress to the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in two weeks.

“He’s just got to improve in fitness, I don’t think he needs to improve class wise,’’ he said.

“It’s an even bunch of horses. I think all he has to do is turn up and bring the same sort of performance, if he’s improved a little bit fitness wise I think he will.

“I think he will relish the distance and I believe there will be a few horses in there that are suspect. He wouldn’t have to improve a hell of a lot to be competitive in that race.”

Stayer Master Shuhood is at double figure odds in the Group 3 $160,000 Drinkwise Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) and Litt expects him to run another honest race.

The gelding has now had seven starts since Litt picked him up from the Chris Waller stable and was a last start third behind Accountability over the 2400m at Kembla Grange two weeks ago.

“I love that horse. Charlie Duckworth (Waller’s assistant) encouraged me to buy him and I am so pleased we did,’’ he said.

Profondo wins at Kensington on September 1

“He’s a trier, he’s a gem to train and he relishes our stable. The hard ground gets him a little bit but he’s going to go in nice and fresh so he will run another good race.”

Litt will be hoping Catapult has a bit more luck in the $100,000 Midway Handicap (1300m) than he did at Kembla last start when badly blocked for runs for most of the race.

He said it was a game effort to be only beaten three lengths by Dalaalaat and is sure he is capable of putting himself in the finish.

“He’s drawn well and should just lob where he is happy. I think he will be very hard to beat, he loves the hard ground,’’ he said.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Golden Rose meeting at Rosehill