Tony McEvoy says Inglis Banner winner Azazel is "as nice a colt as I've seen this year'' and will set the youngster for all the big autumn 2YO races following his breathtaking debut win at Moonee Valley today.
Azazel (Snitzel x Allariza) gave his sire his 44th Stakes victory and gave plenty of punters the start to Cox Plate Day they were hoping for, having been backed from $21 into $5.
Co-bred by Arrowfield and Aga Khan Studs, Azazel (images Grant Courtney) was offered by Arrowfield at this year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, where McEvoy Mitchell Racing paid $310,000 for him.
Damion Flower, who himself raced Snitzel, was the under bidder. McEvoy has been a strong buyer at the Inglis sales this year and is already starting to reap the success of that on the racetrack.
"I've got a really tremendous group of young horses and Azazel has really been at the pointy end all the way through,'' the trainer said.
"We've loved him from the start. He's a smart colt, a quality horse and he really let down beautifully late.''
McEvoy also received a pair of Swarovski Optik binoculars for winning what was the first race of the series for 2016 Inglis Yearling Sale graduates.
Azazel will next contest the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate down the Flemington straight on the final day of Melbourne Cup week, before having a spell ahead of a Blue Diamond Stakes/Golden Slipper campaign.
"He's a big strong boy, he eats almost as much as me, so he'll go to the Maribyrnong for sure,'' McEvoy said.
"We were a strong buyer this year and the way Inglis do things, I will be back next year.
"And as for him, he'll be there in all the big autumn races.''
Vicky Leonard from Arrowfield was thrilled to see Snitzel continue to star on the big stage.
"We couldn't be happier with the way he's going,'' Leonard said of Snitzel.
"The thing about him, the past two seasons have been breakout seasons for him but as his service fee increases, so are the quality of mares he's serving so the future is only looking better.''
Winning jockey Luke Currie never panicked when Azazel slightly missed the start, happy to settle in the second half of the field.
"He fancies himself a bit, he was a bit flighty behind the gates but he's got loads of ability,'' Currie said.
"He wasn't out that quick and he got bumped around a bit early so I gave him his chance to find his feet and he was strong to the line.''
The next race in the 2016 Inglis Yearling Sale graduates series is the $500,000 Restricted Listed Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick on December 17.
Inglis Release
