Undefeated 3YO So You Think colt Illation kept his record perfect when overcoming difficulties to win the Listed SAJC Adelaide Guineas (1600m) at Morphettville on Saturday, while 2YO Political Debate stamped himself as a star of the future with a fast finishing third in the Group II BRC Spirit of Boom Stakes at Eagle Farm.
Trained by Mick Price ad Mick Kent Jr, Illation was a short priced favourite in his first try at 1600m, but found himself shuffled back near last and locked up on the fence with Mark Zahra set a task to resolve matters.
He eventually navigated a clear path and Illation showed his class to win by a length.
“Mark Zahra is good at anticipating what’s going on in front, not often he takes the wrong option and when you’ve got a nice horse underneath you, you can go left and go right,” Price said.
“It was a stop start race , very messy, but I thought the horse flattened out and found the lien at the end of the mile really nicely, so I’m pretty happy.
“Lucky he was good enough to get out of jail from that one ad his rating goes up, so we’ll have to think about what we do with him now.”
A homebred for Lindsay Maxted and partners that was foaled, raised and educated at Coolmore, after passing in at Inglis Easter, Illation has now won three from three earning over $135,000 and connections will now look towards the spring for this exciting colt.
A full brother to Group I ATC Randwick Guineas winner Inference, Illation is also a half-brother to Group II winner Dragon Leap and is the third stakes-winner from top producing Group II placed Redoute’s Choice mare Pontiana, who is also the grand-dam of this season’s Group I placed 2YO Jacquinot.
Pontiana has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible, but had no luck the past two seasons at stud with a slip and a miss.
Announcing himself as a classic colt for next season was the Chris Waller trained Political Debate, who surged home along the fence for Willie Pike in testing conditions to grab third in the Group II BRC Spirit of Boom Stakes over 1200m, a distance likely to be far short of his optimum trip.
It was his second start following a debut second at Canterbury last month and he looms as a serious chance for the Group I BRC JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) next month, a race that his trainer Chris Waller has a great record in.
A $900,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Hermitage / T Magnier from the Kia Ora stud draft, Political Debate is raced by Coolmore and partners and is the second foal from Nakataan, a winning half-sister by Zabeel to Champion NZ 3YO Filly and multiple Group II winner Fix.
Nakataan comes from a European Black Type family that is very familiar to Chris Waller as it has also produced his triple Group I winning $2million earning import Foreteller (IRE).
So You Think stands at a fee of $93,500 at Coolmore this spring.
