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 

Million dollar colt, Zoustar, left little doubt he is a high class racehorse after demolishing the field in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

He was the big news item maker leading into Derby weekend, there was the likely sale of the crack Sydney colt Zoustar, a candidate for the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

After some negotiation it was announced that Widden Stud in the Hunter Valley was the purchaser, the price was reached at $14 million with some further contingences to be approved between both parties.

There is no set plan for him at present, most likely he will not race again in Melbourne, set weight races looks the likely program, with that price tag on his head he will be treated with kid gloves, no risks as he is a very valuable racehorse, and besides stake money he could easily earn between thirty and forty million before the first of his progeny appear on the racecourse.

Widden was the wise selection, they have a wide client base that will see the impending sire offered the very best mares, there is no question the better bred mares are located in New South Wales.

Zoustar will most likely go to Royal Ascot in June, if he wins there he would then become a possible candidate to shuttle for the U K stud season in 2015.

Whether his race ability outstrips his pedigree could be questioned, his sire, Northern Meteor, was the best sire prospect of Encosta De Lago

Unfortunately Northern Meteor died after covering two seasons, Zoustar was among his first crop.

Zoustar - High priced colt

Jim Cassidy. an ex pat out of New Zealand, reached a mile stone in his race riding career when he notched up his 100^th Group 1 win on Zoustar, at Flemington on Saturday.

Cassidy is one of racing’s great personalities, he is among the last of the characters that the turf has known.

He came across from New Zealand in 1983 to ride Kiwi to win the Melbourne Cup, 10 years later he won the Cups double, on Might and Power.

Cassidy has led a remarkable life, he has faced adversity so many times, he would have lost count, he just keeps coming back.

Few jockeys have survived as Cassidy has, he has never ridden better, time has not caught up with him yet.

Tomorrow Jim Cassidy rides Hawkspur in the Melbourne Cup.

Jim Cassidy celebrates 100 Group 1's

The Oaks holds no fears for trainer, John Sargent, after the win of his filly, Kirramosa, when she finished full of running to take out the Wakeful Stakes at Flemington.

She came from last, at the top of the straight, to win going away; suggesting the extra 500 metres of the Oaks should not bother her in the least.

There was never any intention of running her in the Wakeful Stakes, but the filly had done so well in the stable from her previous Sydney run, she was in need of another run before her classic engagement.

Kirramosa’s win was the first for young Tommy Berry, he gave the filly ample time to get balanced and settle down, she did the rest.

The Wakeful Stakes has always been a fairly reliable guide to the Oaks, the last filly to win the double was Brazillian Pulse three years ago and Faint Perfume the year before, when coming from an impossible position.

There will be no fancy prices bet about Kirramosa when she steps out later in the week, she started at $9.50 in the Wakeful Stakes, she is now favourite for the Oaks at $3.40.

Kirramosa is by Alamosa, a son of O’Rielly, he won the Toorak Handicap for Mick Price.

Kirramosa on the outside winning the Wakeful Stakes

Toydini has cemented a berth for himself in the Emirates Stakes, on the last day of the Flemington carnival, after a good solid win in the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley.

It was a strong dogged performance; he fought it out well coming from further back in the field than expected.

Trainer, Guy Walter, was happy with the run believing he would be better on a bigger track, if that is the case Flemington should be ideal.

The field in the Crystal Mile was down a bit on quality and much weaker than the Emirates mile is likely to be.

Toydini is building up a pretty good record now, he won the Cameron Handicap at Newcastle, he followed on from there to finish third in the Epsom Handicap to Boban.

Walter is hoping the gelding can take Saturday’s form into the Emirates, if so he is going to become one of the main contenders in the $1,000,000 dollar mile.

He went up sharply in weight, 4.5 kg from his Epsom run to the Crystal Mile which was at weight for age.

The Guy Walter and Blake Shinn has become a successful trainer jockey partnership, Walter threw out the lifeline and Shinn caught it, all is working well for the team at Warwick Farm.

Toydini - Shaping up as a strong contender in the Emirates