Illation a So You Think Star on the Rise

Tara Madgwick - Saturday April 30

So You Think has had a lot of exciting stakes-winners this season, but none more impressive than undefeated colt Illation, who turned the Listed SAJC HC Nitchske Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville into a procession.

Prepared by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, Illation broke his maiden on debut with a facile win at Pakenham on April 14 and went straight into this Black Type assignment at just his second start.

A  full brother to Group I ATC Randwick Guineas winner Inference, Illation showed Group I ability when powering away from his rivals to win by nearly four lengths under Mark Zahra.
 

 


Advertisement
His turn of foot is something I haven’t felt for quite a long time,” said Mark Zahra.

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 two from two and co-trainer Mick Price is excited about the spring.

“He’s bred to be a 2000m horse, so is a really, really promising colt and the question now is what to do with him next,” said Price.

“We’ll be setting some good plans for his spring in his 4YO year. I thought this might not be the most suitable race for him from barrier one, but you saw his turn of foot to get him out of jail and that’s what we were hoping for.”

Price revealed the colt had an issue with a spur growing behind his knee that had required surgery to rectify, delaying the start of his racing career, but Illation is now a very sound horse with great potential.

“The Cox Plate is the dream, I’d put a circle around that race,” Price concluded.

 

Illation with his dam Pontiana at Coolmore.

Illation is also a half-brother to Group II winner Dragin Leap and is the third stakes-winner from top producing Group II placed Redoute’s Choice mare Pontiana,w ho 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.

Illation is a rising star for So You Think.

Illation is the 39th stakes-winner for So You Think, who has sired the winners of over $16million this season and stands at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $93,500.


 

Advertisment

Race Result - H C Nitschke Stakes LR 1400m

Morphettville Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:23.39
1
Illation
- 3c So You Think (NZ) x Pontiana (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: M Zahra 56
So You Think
2
3.8
Defining
- 3f Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Seduced (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: B Vorster 54
3
3.9
Star Of Chaos
- 3f Zoustar (AUS) x Mischief N Mayhem (GB) (Nayef (USA))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Craig Williams 54
Zoustar
4
4.4
Perceptive
- 3f Written Tycoon (AUS) x Japhils (AUS) (Choisir (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Jamie Kah 54
5
6.4
Hopon Harry
- 3g Rebel Raider (AUS) x Languid (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: L Macdonald & A Gluyas Rdr: D Oliver 56
6
7.2
Disagreeable Miss
- 3f Dissident (AUS) x Another Flouze (AUS) (Stratum (AUS))
Tnr: R W Huxtable Rdr: Jessica Eaton 54
7
8.1
Asymmetrical
- 3f So You Think (NZ) x Akoonah (AUS) (Ready's Image (USA))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: D Moor 54
8
8.3
Libiamo
- 3f Written Tycoon (AUS) x Fine Bubbles (AUS) (Casino Prince (AUS))
Tnr: Will Clarken Rdr: Kayla Crowther 54
9
9.2
Somewatt Fabulous
- 3f Astern (AUS) x Megawatt (NZ) (Shocking (AUS))
Tnr: R & C Jolly Rdr: Jake Toeroek 54
10
9.6
Knightstown
- 3g Valentia (AUS) x Zaraya Rose (AUS) (Hawk Wing (USA))
Tnr: G Richards & D Moyle Rdr: R J Hurdle 56
11
11.9
Zourisky
- 3f Zoustar (AUS) x Outof The Question (AUS) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: Damien Thornton 54
12
12.3
Prince Jofra
- 3g Barbados (AUS) x The Bend (NZ) (Sir Percy (GB))
Tnr: Garret Lynch Rdr: John Allen 56
More Reading...
$2000 Mare Wins Winton Cup
Exciting southern mare The Grey Goose continued her faultless preparation with an impressive performance to win Sunday’s Hyde Landscaping and Wash Rite Winton Cup (1400m) at Ascot Park.
Expensive Xtravagant Wins $1million Meteorite
The highest priced yearling by Xtravagant sold in 2022, progressive sprinter Nadal (Xtravagant) produced an explosive turn of foot to come from near last to win the inaugural running of today’s $1m The Ladbrokes Meteorite at Cranbourne.
Storyville Downs the Colts in G2 WA Guineas
The WA Champion Fillies Stakes heroine Storyville earned a shot at the Group 1 Northerly Stakes after she gave the colts a start and beating in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II White Claw - WA Guineas (1600m) at Ascot.
Kiwi Bred Comeback King Globe wins Cranbourne Cup
The super-talented Globe put a troubled 14 months behind him with a powerful all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Aussie Mare Youngstar Produces Exciting Japanese G3 Winner
Australian Group I winning half-sisters Youngstar and Funstar are both at stud in Japan and the former has a very smart two year-old colt in Eri King, who made it three wins from three starts when taking out the Group III Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nissai Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Yes Yes Yes Filly wins $100,000 Crystal Slipper
The $100,000 WATC Magic Millions Crystal Slipper (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday drew a competitive field of 13 and Yes Yes Yes filly Yes Queen produced a brilliant performance to score a dominant debut victory.
Better Than Ready's Port Lockroy Triumphs in G1 Railway Stakes
Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
Gringotts Continues Kiwi Winning Run in $1million The Gong
Kiwi bred Gringotts continued his coming-of-age campaign with a powerhouse front-running performance under 60kg to win Saturday’s Group III A$1 million The Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
Sun City Filly to Target Karaka Million
The Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) has been the goal for Sierra Leone from the moment she was purchased at the Yearling Sales, and she took an important step towards the $1 million feature with a game second in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m).