Heroic Valour has taken up as a 3-year-old where he left off last season following a tenacious performance to triumph on his Ruakaka return.
The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained son of Fastnet Rock showed admirable fighting qualities to maintain his unbeaten record with his defeat of a competitive line-up in yesterday's Listed Tavistock Northland Breeders' Plate.
"He got a bit of a squeeze up on the point of the corner and he's not the sort of colt who is ever going to win by much, but he gives it his all and he's pretty good," Richards said.
"He'll go to the Hawke's Bay Guineas next and then we'll make a plan about how we get to Christchurch."
Last season's group one Diamond Stakes winner is now the $5 favourite for group one Sothys New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton after his resuming run at Ruakaka where he got into a good early spot before runners circled him out wide.