Promising stayer Stadacona returned to somewhere near his best to score a convincing win in Launceston on Thursday night.

The John Blacker-trained gelding stormed home to victory in the thetote.com.au Stakes over 1600m.

Stadacona (5g Telesto – Blue Recall by Acidity) was having his second start this preparation but put the writing on the wall with an eye-catching effort over 1120m last month.

With premier rider Brendon McCoull in the saddle, he travelled into the race from the 600m peg and had the race in his keeping when asked for the supreme effort in the home straight.

Blacker was delighted with the win and confirmed the gelding could be heading for a Victorian campaign.  “There’s no doubt that this horse simply lost the plot early this season,” Blacker said.  “But now he’s back on his game.”

Stadacona won 5 times in 6 starts as an autumn three year-old over distances ranging from 1550m to 2100m and that convinced Blacker he would develop into a handy stayer.

But his form as a four year-old was only ordinary until he won the Tasmanian St Leger by five lengths.  “He has to be a chance to make it back-to-back St Legers,” Blacker said.  “And if everything pans out, he will be off to Melbourne for some midweek staying races in the winter months.”

Stadacona is by Armidale Stud sire Telesto (Mr Prospector) who has sired 52 individual winners of 117 races at a 60% strike-rate.  He was a $12,000 buy from the Armidale draft at the 2007 Tasmanian Magic Millions.

He is the penultimate of 8 winners foaled by Blue Recall who died in October 2008.  Her final foal Rulesto is another Telesto trained by Blacker and he won at Launceston in February.

Blue Recall’s best has been Oh Blue Angel (Semipalatinsk) who won the Listed VRC Great Western Hcp at Flemington on the same day that Brew claimed the Melbourne Cup.