Regal effort from Ocean Park 3YO

King Neptune has gone close to breaking his duck on several occasions and he made good on his threat at Pakenham on Friday evening.

The son of Ocean Park has finished runner-up three times in his previous six appearances and finally shed his maiden tag for trainer Phillip Stokes over 1400 metres in the hands of Jye McNeil.

Bred by Waikato Stud with Trevor Luke, King Neptune was sold by the Matamata farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to syndicator Bennett Racing for A$170,000.

“It’s taken a bit of time for the penny to drop and we thought he was a Derby type of horse, but Phillip said he’s more of a 1400 to 1600 metre type,” Nathan Bennett said.

“We think he’s pretty progressive and he’s in at the right time of the year, he can handle the softer tracks.”

King Neptune broke well to sit outside the leader and kicked clear 200 metres from home for a convincing length and a-quarter length victory.

He is a son of the unraced O’Reilly mare Impurrfection who is a half-sister to King Karma, a multiple black type winner in Singapore and the Australian stakes winner Seaway.