Towards the back-end of the season, two-year-old racing is all about highlighting juveniles that may make their mark in better races at three and Wednesday's Listed Anzac Day Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, which was won by Merchant Navy twelve months ago, threw up a colt that fits the bill.
After not being a factor in his first two starts at Bendigo and Ballarat, where he finished fifth behind today's favourite Hawkshot, Vassilator went off a friendless $101 shot under Beau Mertens.
Settled back at the tail of the field, the son of Zacinto (GB) stormed down the outside and despite racing greenly proved a length too good for Wild Planet (Animal Kingdom) with
"He travelled very well although I came back further than I wanted to," Mertens said
"He was travelling so comfortably I let him do it and once in the straight he really let down nicely.
"There's plenty of improvement there. Once he steps up in grade and distance he's only going to get better. He is still very green in the straight he was running all over the place, he might be a nice stayer."
Winning trainer Colin Little said he was surprised by the win although he expected Vassilator to run well.
"I knew he would finish a lot closer than the (last start) five lengths behind the favourite (Hawkshot), but it was hard to say he would come here and win. But I said you won't be disappointed in this horse today. So, I hope they took that as he will win," Little said.
"We've always had a lot of time for him even though he was a 25,000 bucker.
"He's by an up and coming stallion Zacinto who stands in the South Island and is clawing his way through the grades - a son of Dansili who is making a mark.
Purchased by his trainer for $25,000 out of the Windsor Park draft at the 2017 NZB Select Yearling Sale, Vassilator (pictured as a yearling) was the least expensive of the 13 youngsters that went to the post in the feature.
He is the first foal of the unraced High Chaparral (IRE) mare Highlights whose 3-time winning dam Shining Light (Star Way) was runner-up in the Group II Hawkes Bay Gold Cup and another four stakes races.
Vassilator becomes the fourth stakes-winner for Inglewood Stud's royally-bred stallion Zacinto.
A son of the recently retired Dansili out of a stakes-placed daughter of English Oaks winner Reams of Verse, Zacinto is the sire of the 2016 Group 1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas hero Ugo Foscolo.
