The Axe has delivered a compelling argument for Mike Bentley to keep the two-year-old in work a while longer.

The home track hope knocked back the northern challenge of the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-prepared debutant Night Fever at Trentham on Saturday to push his case for another start.

“I was going to turn him out, but I might freshen him up and have a crack at the Ryder Stakes at Otaki,” Bentley said.

“He’s come through the race really well, he’s a pretty resilient character.”

The gelding’s determined display to win denied the Rogerson stable a two-year-old double at the weekend after they had earlier produced Lamarosa to score at Te Rapa.

The Axe had placed in a trial in the spring before he was sent for a break and returned to finish an eye-catching fifth in his first race day appearance in April behind the highly-regarded Hover in April.

“He trialled at Otaki and he only went there for education so we were quite pleased with him and then he went shin sore,” Bentley said.

“He’s just kept on improving, as every young horse should, and he handles the better tracks as well.”

A son of Patapan, The Axe’s victory was cause for a family celebration as he is raced by Bentley with his brother Dave, a blacksmith, and their mother Bernadette.

The siblings also share in the ownership of He’s Resolute, who was unplaced on Saturday but is compared favourably with his stablemate.

“He’s yet to prove he’s got the tenacity of The Axe on race day, but he had been going much better – he donkey licked him in track work,” Bentley said.

He's Resolute, who will now be spelled over the winter, is a brother to the multiple winner and Gr.3 Thompson Handicap placegetter Centre Attention.