Well-fancied when a fading sixth on debut behind the outstanding Peltzer in a hot form race at Randwick on May 9, the Press Statement colt Equation showed he had taken enormous benefit from that run by breaking his maiden in impressive fashion over 1100m on the Kensington track at Randwick on Wednesday.
Ridden by Tommy Berry for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Equation was caught wide from his outside barrier and Berry opted to get out of the speed battle to settle worse than midfield.
When pulled out to the centre of the track, Equation lengthened impressively to run down the game Not A Single Doubt colt Falcon by two and a quarter lengths with the Hinchinbrook colt Sharpshooter one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
There was a touch of irony in the result as Equation was bred by China Horse Club Racing whose colours were carried by the second and third placed horses.
Tommy Berry said Equation has a bright future.
“I was a bit deflated after his first start because I had a pretty big of opinion of him but when you go back and look at it he probably ended up in the wrong part of the track because the fence was hot and he just got a little bit lost,” Berry said.
“He travelled much better for me he didn’t lose his compass coming around the corner. I was able to balance him up and hold him onto the straight.
“At home and in his trials he is one of the quietest young horse I have had anything to do with. That first run has switched him on and I think in time you will see a nice progressive young horse. He is probably more of a three-year-old and the best is yet to come.”
Assistant trainer Annabel Neasham said she was surprised by the early speed in the race.
“On paper we didn’t think there a huge amount of speed and we thought he may be able to cross outside the leader but they all kicked up inside of him so it was a good ride by Tommy to get him slotted back, three wide with cover,” Neasham said.
“We are really grateful to them (Aquis). Life is a lot easier when you have well-bred horses in the stable. He has also got some of our stable clients, Paul Sue and the McDowells among others, so it’s great for them.
“We may have raised the bar a bit high at his first start in a Saturday race but coming back a level today he will take plenty of confidence from that and he will be a nice horse next season.”
Equation was knocked down to Aquis for $110,000 out of the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2018 National Weanling Sale.
The powerfully made son of Press Statement is the second foal and first runner out of the stakes-placed Percentage who was the second most expensive yearling sold at public auction by Onemorenomore when she made $250,000 at the 2013 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
A daughter of the Listed AJC Gimcrack Stakes winner and Group 1 Thousand Guineas third Spurcent (Flying Spur), Percentage has a yearling Vancouver colt that was knocked down to Kennedy Racing for $110,000 at this years Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Equation becomes the fourth first crop winner for Vinery Stud’s dual Group 1 winner Press Statement who will stand at a fee of $13,750 in 2020.
