Promising two-year-old Dead Or Alive delivered trainer Mick Price the perfect start to the day at Morphettville by recording a fast-finishing victory in the 2015 Oaklands Plate.

Dead or Alive was a drifter in betting in the lead-up to the Oaklands Plate and jockey Damien Oliver elected to settle the Wanted gelding just behind the leading duo, while outright favourite Battle Brewing press forward to take up the running.

Battle Brewing appeared to be doing it fairly comfortably in front and he kicked clear from the rest of the field when he was asked for an extra effort by jockey Claire Lindop, but the Medaglia D’Oro colt felt the effects in the 100 metres and Dead Or Alive was able to storm home in the final stages of the race to get his nose in front in the shadows of the post.

Dead Or Alive was purchased for $110,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and he made his first public appearance with a flat performance in the VOBIS Gold Ingot at Caulfield on April 18, but he produced a much improved performance to record his maiden race win in the Oaklands Plate.

Battle Brewing has performed well without winning in his four race starts since he made his racing debut in February, but he remained his performance as one of the most talented maidens in Adelaide with his tough Oaklands Plate effort.

The two-year-old made his racing debut with a seventh place finish behind the talented Caro Kann in the Wolf Blass Handicap (1100m) at Gawler on February 21 and he finished a credible fourth in the Darley Handicap (1050m) at Morphettville on March 14 before he stamped himself as a genuine contender at black type level with a third place finish in the Camplina Stud Breders Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on March 28.

Trainer Leon Macdonald elected to drop Battle Brewing back down in class for the Marshall Pannel Memorial Maiden at Gawler on April 22, but the two-year-old missed the start before he ran on strongly to finish second behind Ilovewhatsebrings ahead of his brave performance in the Oaklands Plate this afternoon.

Mick Price does not have any immediate plans with Dead Or Alive and the son of Wanted was not included in the nominations for the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) that were released by Racing Queensland earlier this week.

Dead Or Alive’s stablemate Commiserate produced the best performance of his career to date to finish a close third.