When Lot 305 entered the Inglis sales ring in April last year it hardly caused a ripple, “no interest your worship.”

For the breeder it was a wasted effort, a mere $4,000 with the service fee to the stallion at $11,000, plus additional costs, it was enough to curdle the milk.

Robbie Laing, leaning over a rail signed the sales chit, he was the new owner, just a spur of the moment impulse; he couldn’t give any a reason as to why he bought the colt.

Was it all just luck? As luck has so often played a major role in racing, sometimes an ounce of luck is worth a ton of judgement.

Robbie was the toast of Flemington on Saturday, it does not get much better than that, he even conducted his own press conference.

It was his day, a rags to riches story that is what makes racing, all meeting on a level playing field.

Polanski went into the Derby with a credit of $256,565; add the $908,000 stake on, not a bad return on an outlay of $4,000.

The colt has earned his oats, as they say; he will now go for a well earned break with the Australian Guineas the objective, back at Flemington in the autumn.

He won the Derby as he proved the better stayer, he had the ideal preparation, his races in the lead up were evenly spaced, the plan was never altered.

Polanski was bred by Greg and Natalie Willis at their Chatswood Stud, Seymour; he is by Ratki, a super miler in the U K, winning five races at Group1level, but a highly temperamental horse who was inclined to get hot under race conditions.

Citrium, the dam of Polanski, has produced two fillies since, one at foot by Purrealist, sire of the Queensland Derby winner Hawkspur, and Melbourne Cup hopeful, and her dam has a Derby winner to her credit.

Certainly Ratki was disappointing as a sire here, however, it is so easy to lay the blame directly at the sire and forget the mares, it still takes two to tango.

Breeders need to look at the mares first before any firm decisions are made, the mares contribution is still two thirds.

Polanski - A brilliant Derby winner