Well bred colt Escadaire will be tested against better opposition following his gutsy win in the ADE Turf Equipment Handicap (1500m) at Moonee Valley today.

A half brother to the stable's sprinting star Glamour Puss, Escadaire showed great fighting qualities to hold out a string of challenges from his rivals runners to notch up his maiden city victory.

Prepared at Flemington by Danny O'Brien, Escadaire was sent out at good each way odds despite his decent half length win over Bretton Woods at Ballarat in late August.

O'Brien predicts bigger and better things in store for the three-year-old son of former star galloper O'Reilly.

"He's only a young colt and we haven't really pushed the button on him yet," O'Brien said.

"He's big and he's learning and I think he's a nice horse," he added.

Right from the first time he was tested in track work at Flemington O'Brien thought he had a nice horse on his hands.

"I've always had a good opinion of him. He's a half to Glamour Puss

O'Brien said Escadaire would now step up in class to give connections a better guide as to his ability. But he's confident the colt will be better at his next preparation.

"I'm not sure if he's going to be quite ready for the better colts this spring," O'Brien pointed out. "In the autumn he would certainly be around the mark."

"We'll probably come back here in two weeks time and run him in the Stutt (Stakes) and there may not be much of a different field really," he added.

The $175,000 Group Two Link Recruitment Stutt Stakes (1600m) will be run at Moonee Valley on September 23.

"That will let us know if we go on," O'Brien said of his forthcoming Stutt Stakes performance.

"But deep down I think he's six months from putting it all together."

The current star three-year-olds Haradasun and Miss Finland won't run in the Stutt. They will go around next Saturday at Flemington.

Today it was Escadaire ($7-$8.50) who was a head too good for Ankh Morpork ($10-$12).

Sayaprayerforme ($21) was another short head away in third place.

The favourite Deferment ($4.60-$4 fav) finished sixth.

PICS - Quentin Lang.