Smart Missile 2YO impresses with Group win
Leading Perth trainer Fred Kersley has no hesitation in planning a big Spring 3YO campaign for Smart Missile’s 2YO son Debellatio, after the colt’s super-impressive WA Sires’ Produce S. G3 victory at Ascot in Perth on Good Friday.
Watch Debellatio win the WA Sires’ Produce S. G3.
Kersley says, “He’s an enormous raw talent, the most precocious colt that I’ve ever trained, with a great attitude to racing, very athletic and a pleasure to train. He’s put on weight through this campaign which is a good sign for a two-year-old, and shows he’s a tough horse.”
Plans are for Debellatio, which is Latin for a military victory achieved by the complete destruction of a hostile state, to take on Australia’s best 3YOs early next season.
“He will likely have a six week spell now, then should he measure up, we will head East to target the Group 1 colt races in the Spring. He has an excellent economy of stride and although he is sharp, I think stepping up over ground he’ll only get better.”
It’s an assessment borne out by Debellatio’s domination of the $200,000 Sires’ Produce over 1400 metres. Landing widest of the 11 runners when the field settled at a pedestrian pace, the colt was sent forward by jockey Daniel Staeck at the 800-metre mark, rolled along easily in the lead and accelerated strongly in the straight to score by 2.5 lengths from the Karrakatta Plate G2 winner Lucy Mae, with Money Maher third.
The win is Debellatio’s second from his five starts and takes his season earnings to $189,000 – a healthy return on the $30,000 paid for him by Chevaux Bloodstock at the 2016 Inglis Easter Sale, where he was offered by Yarraman Park Stud on behalf of his breeder Harry Mitchell.
Debellatio is the seventh foal and second stakeswinner out of Flying Spur’s talented daughter Velasco, winner at two of the Matamata Breeders’ S. G2 and third in the Ellerslie Sires’ Produce S. G1 for her breeders Julian Sullivan & Julie Andrews who are among Debellatio’s owners.
Velasco’s daughters, Listed winner Devoirs (by Dehere) and Reve de Victoire (by Anabaa) have also visited Smart Missile, with 3YO filly Strike For Victory (ex Reve de Victoire) successful this term for Joe O’Neill’s Prime Thoroughbreds.
Debellatio is the second stakeswinner, after New Zealand-based filly Sassy ‘N’ Smart, for 2015/16 Champion First Season Sire Smart Missile, himself a supernaturally gifted 2YO and conqueror of Sepoy & Foxwedge in the 2011 ATC Todman S. G2.
His 56 winners include eight stakes performers, among them 3YO filly Smart Amelia, who posted her third Group placing in Saturday’s ATC James H.B. Carr S. G3. Interestingly, like Debellatio and Smart Missile’s multiple city winner Ahndras, she is in-bred 3 x 3 to Danehill, being out of the Redoute’s Choice mare My Amelia.
Smart Missile has been exceptionally well-supported by breeders and buyers during the first stage of his stud career and his 41 yearlings sold at the 2017 Magic Millions and Inglis Easter Sales averaged more than five times his $20,000 fee.
Smart Missile is currently third on the Australian Second Season Sires’ premiership with close to $2 million prizemoney, and leads the table by winners, with a total of 42.
