Top trainer Laurie Laxon and jockey Saimee Jumaat can't wait for the other legs of the Three-Year-Old Challenge to come around for top-class three-year-old Big Maverick.

The son of O'Reilly, bred by Peter and Philip Vela of Pencarrow Stud, was a handsome winner of the first leg of the Three-Year-Old Challenge on June 6 winning the S$250,000 Group 3 1200m race in emphatic style.

However, Laxon says the 1200m trip was definitely short of Big Maverick's preferred distance.

Laxon points out that Big Maverick's previous three wins had been over 1400m, including the Stewards Cup last December, and Laxon said he's more renowned as a sprinter-miler.

Jumaat, who had won the Three-Year-Old Challenge when it was known as the Tiger Beer Series, was delighted with his third winning pairing with Big Maverick.

¡°I knew they couldn¡¯t go at such a fast pace forever. That¡¯s why I got him out looking for room down the straight,¡± said Jumaat.

¡°The moment he found daylight, he just flew in. Too good!¡±

After the first leg win, a bullish Jumaat could not wait for the final two legs to come.

¡°The 1400m and 1600m always suited him better,¡± said Jumaat. ¡°But when we drew 1 in the 1200m race, we thought he would be in with a strong chance as well," Jumaat said.

Laxon said Big Maverick had come through the first leg in tip-top order. "He's absolutely thriving and is a horse on the improve."