Two lovely three-year-olds destined for bigger and better things emerged from the meeting at Geelong on Friday.
The first came in the opening race over 1100 metres.
Punters threw their lot behind the Godolphin homebred Dickin Medal to make a winning career debut, and he didn’t let them down.
Not the best to begin, Damien Oliver was aggressive on the Snitzel gelding in the opening stages and found the one out one back slot.
Extracted to the centre of the track to mount his challenge, Dickin Medal found a willing foe in the frontrunning Exosphere gelding Rising Sphere who only surrendered in the closing stages to go down by a half-neck.
The James Cummings-trained gelding did his early education in Sydney where he placed in two barrier trials at Warwick Farm.
A half-brother to the Canterbury and Kensington winner Plaquette, Dickin Medal is the second foal of the unraced Medaglia d’Oro (USA) mare Medaglia who is a half-sister to Group III winner Bello and stakes-winner Trenchant and Emblems.
Medaglia is a daughter of the Seeking The Gold mare Cara Bella (GB) who is herself a daughter of the smart racemare Cherokee Rose (Dancing Brave) who won the 1995 Sprint Cup and Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Medaglia has an unraced 2yo filly by Lonhro named Emblem, a yearling colt by Frosted (USA) and was covered by Exosphere last year.
The second three-year-old to follow from Geelong is the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Sensationalisation.
Returning to the track after a 19-week break, the daughter of Written Tycoon started an odd-on favourite in the 1300m maiden off the strength of thirds at Sandown and Caulfield to kick-start her career.
Michael Walker still had a double handful when the field straightened for home. When he went for Sensationalisation, she lengthened impressively to defeat the So You Think debutant Best Episode by one and a half lengths with the Pierro filly Vidiano, who was also making her debut, three-quarters of a length back in third.
Purchased by Dynamic Syndications / Dean Watt Bloodstock (FBAA) for $100,000 out of the Aquis Farm draft at the 2019 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Sensationalisation is the first foal of the Commands mare Sheer Sensation.
Sheer Sensation was purchased by Aquis / Blue Sky Bloodstock (FBAA) for $180,000 at the 2017 Inglis Chairmans Sale when carrying Sensationalisation. Sheer Sensation is a half-sister to Group 1 SAJC Goodwood Handicap winner Zip Zip Aray and Group 1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes runner-up Zipanese.
Sheer Sensation has a 2yo colt by Kiss And Make Up named Gentleman Reid, a yearling filly by Husson and was covered last year by Santos.
