Trainer Jon O’Connor is hoping Neveu can make an impact late in the spring as a three-year-old after last Saturday’s win in the Group 3 SA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) on the Parks track at Morphettville.
Saturday’s win was a breakthrough for comeback jockey Andrew Stead, who returned to race riding last Christmas Eve after 13 years on the sidelines, taking in a three-year ban and a cancer battle.
The win was the 12th of Stead’s comeback and the first group win of a career that began in 2001.
Neveu ($17) got up in the tightest of photo finishes over the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Spain ($8), whom Sydney jockey Winona Costin had flown in to ride. 
Spain, a Snitzel colt whose value would have been enhanced by a black-type win in his two-year-old season, fought back after being headed at the 250m, but Neveu held on.
“It’s super. It’s my first group winner. That’s one off the bucket list,” Stead said.
Neveu, a gelded son of Rich Enuff, will now go for a spell. O’Connor is hopeful of bringing him back into work in time for feature racing at the end of the Melbourne spring, but doubts he will be ready in time for the Caulfield Guineas — a race in which his sire ran a close second as odds-on favourite.
The Group 2 $400,000 Sandown Guineas on November 14 shapes as an alternative target.
Sit strikes on Stalker
Co-trainers Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle brought up the first leg of a double at the Parks meeting when The Stalker ($5.50) took out a benchmark 72 over 1250 metres. 
Apprentice Isaac Sit, who has just transferred to the Richards/Moyle stable, led all the way on The Stalker to record a stylish win.
Richards and Moyle landed the second leg of their double when Fast Tempo ($10) won a Class 2 handicap over 1400 metres. 
Piloted by Taylor Johnstone in her first win as a senior rider, Fast Tempo settled midfield before scouting wide and booting clear to beat $2.35 favourite Bold Secret by a length and a half.
It was only the second win from 14 starts for the four-year-old Time Test gelding, but he’s an improver. After going winless through his first eight starts he’s had two wins, a third, two fourths and a fifth.
Deluxe, Dancer deliver
Followers of Murray Bridge trainer Nicole Irwin would have been celebrating after the last at the Parks meeting, a 1000-metre benchmark 76.
Irwin saddled up the quinella, with Real Deluxe ($13) beating stablemate Vexatious Dancer ($15). Stacey Metcalfe and Connor Murtagh were their respective riders.
The quinella paid $79.10 on the local tote.
Quickfire doubles for Connor, Lauren
At Murray Bridge last Friday Connor Murtagh rode a back-to-back double in two 1100-metre maiden plates, scoring on Summertime Madness ($2.80 favourite) for co-trainers Wayne Francis and Glen Kent and on the Ron Daniel and Trish Stanbury-trained Amical ($5.50).
Lauren Stojakovic landed a back-to-back double of her own at Port Augusta on Sunday, with Kikorangi ($3.90) for Heather Lehmann and Samanth ($3.20) for Trevor Montgomerie. 
Both races were benchmark 58 handicaps over 1498 metres.