Khreshchatyk has come through his first test with flying colours at Hawkesbury.  The Bjorn Baker trainee clicked into top gear at his second start to win the Prior Drainage Maiden (1100m) on Thursday.

“He’s got ability and did it well,” Baker said after watching the half-length victory on Thursday.  “He had shown us a bit at home and Tim (Clark) said he’s a nice horse.”

Khreshchatyk (3g Keep The Faith – Lubna by Secret Savings) started a $1.70 favourite after going down a length first-up at Kembla Grange on March 9.  He had been given the green light to debut by the course vet despite sustaining an abrasion to his hip in the tie-up stalls.

Named after the main road in Kiev, the lightly-raced three year-old is a homebred for Avo Damirdjian who is best known for his association with outstanding mare Private Steer.  She completed a Group 1 double in the All-Aged Stakes and Doncaster Mile in 2004.

The Hawkesbury winner is an older half-brother to a yearling filly and a colt on the ground by Master Of Design.  Their dam Lubna was bred back to Baker’s 2014 Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Unencumbered in November.

Keep The Faith stands at Greta West Stud and has sired the winners of 70 races this season for $1.63 million in prizemoney.  His star sprinter Trust In A Gust was expected to resume in the G1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night but trainer Darren Weir ruled him out in favour of an easier first-up assignment in April.