The Melbourne Cup winning combination of trainer Mark Kavanagh and owner Laurence Eales were in the winner’s stall at Geelong on Friday when Chicanes won strongly.

A bargain buy from the 2009 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, Chicanes sat just off the speed for much of the race before coming with a strong run over the concluding stages to win by two lengths.

Winning jockey Stephen Baster and Kavanagh were both impressed with the performance of the debuting son of Markane.

“He looks a nice prospect and he did a good job on debut,” Mark Kavanagh said. “He’s shown good ability and it’s nice to see him show that at his first run.”

Eales, who raced the recently retired Cups champ Shocking and Saturday’s Lawrence Stakes winner Whobegotyou, is hoping Chicanes is his next exciting racetrack prospect.

“He is turning out to be quite a bargain buy already,” Eales noted. “I couldn’t be happier with his win at Geelong the other day.”

Chicanes was purchased by the astute businessman and breeder for just $1,000 from the Eureka Thoroughbreds draft at the 2009 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale at the Gold Coast.

“There was a little method behind my madness,” Eales said.

“When I was at the Gold Coast at the Horses in Training Sale a few years back I liked a couple of horses – one was Shocking and the other was a grey by Markane.”

“Luckily I bought Shocking (for $64,000) – the other was sold overseas (for $52,000).”

“Anyway I was at the Weanling Sale and I noticed his full brother was in the sale – had a look and thought for a cheap price he would be a good buy,” Eales added.

Chicanes is a son of Markane – Red Ransom’s stakes performed son – a well bred prospect who’s done a good job with his runners to date.

His progeny include stakes performers Spot on Target and Marking Time and a number of good winners abroad.

Chicanes’ dam, a once raced daughter of Sea Road, is a sister or half sister to nine winners including Simmo’s Revenge and The Winslow Boy.

At present there is no black type high up in Chicanes’ pedigree – but who knows, perhaps he can add it himself.