Two-year-old grey colt Foot Soldier (He’stherealthing – Ms Martha Brae) got his racing career off to a winning start on Saturday last at Caymanas Park with a fighting win in a maiden special weight event.

Ridden by champion apprentice Linton Steadman for trainer Tyrone Prince, Foot Soldier got a good break and chased Duty First (Chalwick Budhai) for most of the way in the 1,000-metre straight event.

When asked to go in the final furlong and a half, Foot Soldier responded well and drew alongside the leader for a brief moment before pulling away to win by one-and-ahalf lengths.

Duty First just held on by a head from the fast-finishing Rockdale, under Ameth Robles, while Robin’s Quest, the mount of Ruja Lahoe, completed the frame in the six-horse field.

The final time was a moderate 1:02.0 minutes with splits of 23.3 and 47.0 seconds. Foot Soldier was the fourth winner for the year saddled by Prince. The run by Foot Soldier signalled that he is one to watch for the future.

“It is always difficult to judge a twoyear- old the first time of asking, but Foot Soldier is a nice horse with some scope for development. “We got a good break and stayed with the leader for most of the way and just put them away in the last furlong,” said Steadman.

Foot Soldier is among 10 horses provisionally entered in Saturday’s Cash Pot ‘Only One for Me’ Trophy race.