Smart two year old Vinland is back on track for the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick on December 17 following an impressive barrier trial win at Rosehill on Tuesday.

Vinland’s stablemate Aspect, above, winning the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.

Trainer Tony McEvoy admits that he was slightly disappointed with Vinland’s debut fifth in the Listed $120,000 Thoroughbred Club Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Sandown on November 12 when he suffered interference shortly after the start.

“I thought he’d win the Merson Cooper,” McEvoy told racing.com.

“He jumped a bit plain and then got squeezed straight out when two horses either side of him crashed him and he went out the back and then he made too many mistakes.

“He was like a drunken solider from that point on and ran fifth in the race.

“It was a good run but it was well below what I expected and so I thought I’d set him for this half-a-million-dollar race at Randwick on the 17th and brought him up here today to give him a trial.”

Vinland had a decent hit out with Tye Angland in the saddle to record a three and a quarter lengths win in the 900m trial and McEvoy was happy with what he saw.

“I asked Tye Angland to give him a bit of a trial today because I wanted him to learn the ropes and he impressed me today,” McEvoy said.

Vinland is eligible to run in the Inglis Nursery after being a $340,000 yearling purchase out of the 2016 Melbourne Premier Sales at the beginning of the year.

The Sebring colt joins McEvoy’s other smart two year olds that have already performed well in the early part of the season which includes Azazel winning in the $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.

The Snitzel colt then finished fourth to McEvoy’s other smart youngster Aspect in the Group 3 $150,000 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington November 5.

McEvoy also quinelled the $200,000 Magic Millions 2yo Clockwise Classic (1000m) with Despatch and Nistaan at Ballarat on November 19.