Still a maiden after five starts, the Robbie Laing-trained Fabulanski picked the right spot to break his maiden in Saturday's Listed Taj Rossi Final (1600m) at Flemington to credit his sire Polanski with his first stakes winner.
Under a masterful front-running ride by Linda Meech, Fabulanski used his 3.5 kilo advantage over the gallant Rubick filly Rubiaski to win by a head with Dissident gelding Pancho three-quarter of a length back in third. (image Grant Courtney )
Laing won the 2012 Victoria Derby with Polanski and he is eying off the classic with his son.
"He is almost a dead spit of Polanski," Laing enthused.
"His run at Bendigo was indicative of coming here and winning today. "He covered an extra six or eight lengths at Bendigo, he virtually went around the outside of the running rail. He dropped in weight today and his work had improved.
"The plan was to run them along today and make it a good tough mile and it worked.
"The main reason we ran him here today, apart from thinking he could win, was to get some stakes money. We didn't want the same happening last year when we had Stars Of Carrum hunting around at Bairnsdale the had to take him across to Adelaide to get enough stakes money.
"We can run this horse where we want now. The last three runs when you have a derby horse are easy, the UCI Stakes, Norman Robertson Stakes and Derby.
"The plan is to give him four weeks off the tailor his programme to get him back here for the Derby.
"This horse is a big, powerful brute who will run 2500m on his ear, so they better watch out Derby Day."
Passed in when failing to make his $40,000 reserve when offered by Bombora Downs at the 2018 Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale, Fabulanski (pictured right as a yearling ) is the fifth foal and fourth winner out of the Danehill mare Fabianska whose previous best had been the stakes-placed Street Boss (USA) filly Street Allure.
From the family of the Champion Turf Female, Forever Together, Fabianska had a dead foal in 2016 before foaling a full-sister to Fabulanski last season.
Fabianski comes from the second crop of 27 live foals by Polanski who had had just 19 starters this season with seven winners.
The son of the 5-time Group 1 winner Rakti (Polish Precedent) stood the 2018 season at Ducks Crossing Farm on the Mornington Peninsula at a fee of $5,500.