War Chant's Variation Makes Winning Stakes Debut in WA Guineas

A huge prize for a horse making his first start at stakes level, the Stephen Miller-trained Variation weaved between runners under a daring ride by Damian Lane to claim Saturday's $500,000 Group II Sky Racing-W.A. Guineas (1600m) at Ascot.

Strung up between runners, Lane found a narrow seam and it was all Variation needed.

Showing an impressive turn of foot, the son of War Chant (USA) charged to the line to defeat the favourite Ellicazoom (Testa Rossa) by a half-length with Ragazzo D'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) one and a quarter lengths back in third.

"He would have been the biggest certainty beaten in a long time but I was lucky enough to get a back on the inside and he sprinted really well for me," Lane said.

"It was a nearly a really bad ride. I pulled the wrong rein at the top of the straight ran him up some backsides. I was lucky enough to have a horse underneath me that when I went back to the inside he sprinted really well.

"He is a bit of untapped horse I think there is still more to come, so it's exciting.

"He has got a great attitude, he's got the ability there and there is a lot of improvement to come."  

An emotional Miller said it was great to get a result for owners who have been with him for 35 years.

"The horse has always shown us a lot and he has come through a faultless preparation. I thought his last win was very good, Miller said.

"We're stepping up in class but we had to have a dip at it.  

"It's just bloody tremendous.

With his first stakes success, Variation (pictured as a yearling) advances his record to 3 wins, 1 second and 3 thirds from 7 starts with earnings of $357,650. 

A $32,000 purchase by Millfields Park from the Mungrup Stud draft at the 2015 Perth Magic Millions Yearling sale, Variations is the sixth foal of the stakes placed Don't Say Halo mare Fleeting Angel.

A sister to the stakes-placed Halo Magic, Fleeting Angel descends from the family of Group II Peter Pan Stakes winner and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes runner-up, Black Ivory (Pago Pago).

Fleeting Angel has an unnamed 2yo filly by Dick Turpin (IRE). Her 2015 foal by Playing God died after birth the foaled a Dick Turpin (IRE) filly on August 19.

Variation comes from the second Australian crop sired by the Breeders' Cup Mile winner War Chant (Danzig) who stands at Yarradale Stud with his fee advertised as on application.