While no one is going out on a limb to declare Prince of Caviar as an eventual inductee, the maiden winner of race one on Thursday at the White Hills racecourse certainly carries with him plenty of expectations.

The son of Australian racing legend Black Caviar had to fight hard to score his first win at start number four, but for connections of the highly-touted three-year-old colt, the win was ‘special enough’.

“We’ve been waiting for the four starts, Luke (Nolen) rode very well and (the horse) performed exceptionally well,” senior partner Gary Wilkie told broadcaster Racing.com

“It was nice to get the maiden out of the road and we’ll see where we go from here.”

The heavily-backed sprinter was sent out a $1.40 favourite and had to overcome a spirited challenge from the Michael Moroney-trained Hurricane Fighter ($1.80).

Jockey Nolen, who was on-board Black Caviar for 22 of her 25 unbeaten wins, described Prince of Caviar as ‘slightly frustrating’.

“He’s run very well both times this time in … it was a tradesman’s like performance today,” he said.

“He’s going in the right direction and will be a nice horse come autumn.

“It’s all in front of him, this is all bonus at this stage. There’s a lot of horses who have kicked off their career winning in Bendigo, let’s hope he’s one of them.”

Unlike Black Caviar, whose wins all ranged from 1000m to 1400m, Nolen felt the colt would eventually be best suited over the mile (1600m).

It was a view shared by winning trainer Wayne Hawkes.

“He’s always had a thousand excuses and even today he was green and did things wrong and still didn’t know how to put them away,” he said.

“I’ve said it publicly  thousand times, he’s going to be a better horse in the autumn.

“(But) winners are grinners, you only need to win by a nose and he won by a length and a quarter, so I’m happy with that.”

The nursery of champions honours an elite band of horses who have won their maiden at Bendigo before going on to achieve Group 1 success.

BJC chief executive officer Aaron Hearps said Prince of Caviar had certainly drawn more than usual numbers around the mounting yard pre-race, but he was quick to reserve judgment on whether the colt would one day join the likes of Better Loosen Up and Hyperno on the nursery honour board.

“He was a bit workmanlike today, but by all reports he’s going to be a an autumn horse,” he said.

“He certainly has the breeding; it will be interesting to see what they do from here, whether they tip him out for a spell or go on.

“The race before when he ran second at Bendigo, the Hayes horse that won (Mickey Blue Eyes) is pretty smart, so no one was too disappointed when he lost odds-on.

“I think the monkey’s off the back as bit for the owners.”

Top trainer Darren Weir has set himself for an exceptional day, with three of the first five winners, including three-straight in races three to five.