There might be a nice race in the not-to-distant future for Grand Impact after the two-year-old son of Satono Aladdin (JPN) made short work of his elders at his career debut over 1200m at Geelong on Friday.
Ridden by Michael Walker for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Grand Impact jumped in front from an inside barrier and was never headed.
Throttled down by Walker in the closing stages, Grand Impact defeated Blow In (Fighting Sun) by one and a quarter lengths with a further three lengths back to Tolpuddle (Pierro) in third.
If punters were looking for a guide through betting, they found it with Grand Impact who went off the $3.60 favourite.
Walker made no secret of his high regard for the son of Satono Aladdin (JPN).
“He is a serious horse. I had one sit on him in a jump-out and I said too Pricey please can I stick with him,” Walker said.
“I did enough out of the barriers to let them know I wanted to lead. Then I slowed down and Jake Noonan came up to me and my horse was highballing, doing it so easy.
“He still does not know what he is doing. In the straight, he ran in, had a look at the grandstand, and still won very easily.
“I will probably have to beg to stay on him.”
A homebred for Ross and Corrine Kearney’s Okaharau Station, Grand Impact is the second and final foal of the unraced Swiss Ace mare Serena Slam, who had been purchased for $2,000 at a Mixed Sale in 2016.
Her dam Black Cat (Black Minnaloushe) is a half-sister to Listed ATC Toy Show Stakes winner Catreign (Tale Of The Cat).
Grand Impact is the fifth first crop winner for Rich Hill Stud’s Group 1 Yasuda Kinen winner Satono Aladdin (JPN) and his second in Australia.
The first was the Trelawney Stud colour-bearer Koshu. The John O’Shea-trained filly looks to be a major player in the new season stakes races for 3yo fillies following a three and a quarter length romp over 1100m on the Kensington track at Randwick in May.
A brother to the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Lachesis, by Deep Impact out of the top-class Storm Cat mare Magic Storm, Satono Aladdin (JPN) should be popular at Rich Hill Stud for the forthcoming season at a fee of $12,500 (+GST).
