It was little more than a barrier trial for Clevadude in the Sportingbet Plate (1000m) at Moonee Valley today as the Rick Hore-Lacy-trained gelding cemented his position as one of the top fancies for next month’s $2 million Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast.

The exciting juvenile arrived at Moonee Valley on the back of a dominant debut win at Cranbourne two weeks ago and wasted no time in asserting himself as the one to beat.

With Craig Newitt aboard, the son of Bel Esprit jumped cleanly to assume the lead before effortlessly putting away his three rivals by four lengths in a professional display of racing.

Hore-Lacy has already tested Clevadude in the clockwise direction in trackwork ahead of the Magic Millions and is confident his charge will be difficult to beat in the Gold Coast glamour race.

“He’s got the perfect temperament for a racehorse. He looks the real deal doesn’t he,” Hore-Lacy said.

“There’ll be plenty of opposition but this bloke will take some beating.

“A couple of days a week we work the other way…so that’s not going to pose a problem for him at all.”

Newitt was in the saddle for the first time on raceday and sent a warning to his Magic Millions rivals that he is still yet to fully wind up.

“I’ve had a couple of feels of him on the track at home before and he’s always had a pretty good presence about him,” Newitt said.

“He’s always been a bit tardy out of the gates but today he hit the ground running.

“I didn’t find the bottom to him but when challenged I’m sure there’s another gear to him.”