The Danny O'Brien-trained Esskay made a winning career debut over 1300m at Sandown-Hillside on Wednesday to credit Arrowfield Stud's one-season shuttler Real Steel (JPN) with his first southern hemisphere winner.
Ridden by Damian Lane, Esskay finished determinably to defeat the stubborn Written Tycoon debutant Magic Mogul with the Toronado (IRE) filly Aspenado back in third.
"He has been pleasing us at home, and he steps up every time we ask him," assistant trainer ben Gleeson said.
"We worked him last week with an older horse, and while he is not a brilliant horse with a turn of foot, he just grinds.
"We think he will develop into a beautiful 3yo, and to do that today is very promising.
'Luke Wilkinson, our bloodstock manager, found this horse, and he raced in his colours today. He put a few good great owners in to the horse. Luke is a fantastic judge of a young horse, and that's paid dividends today."
A $90,000 purchase for Danny O'Brien Racing from the Bowness Stud draft from Book 2 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Esskay is the fourth winner from as many to race for the Lonhro mare Lacey Lonhbreak.
From the family of Faithful Son and Lailani, Lacey Lonhbreak has a yearling filly by D'Argento, which failed to make her $30,000 reserve at the Gold Coast in January.
After missing in 2021, Lacey Lonhbreak revisited D'Argento last spring.
A son of Deep Impact, Real Steel (JPN) won the Dubai Turf in 2016 for Yoshito Yahagi. A 4yo brother to Superstar Loves Only You, Real Steel (JPN) left 51 foals from his lone Australian crop.
