Greta West Stud’s international sprinter Man Of Illusion sired his first winner at Bendigo on Saturday.
The Rod Symons trained filly Lascelles scored a brilliant win on debut in the TAB Sportsbet Maiden Plate (1000m). She led from go-to-whoa and put five lengths between the placegetters Huevos Rancheros (Testa Rossa) and Amphorae (Ad Valorem).
Man Of Illusion (Encosta de Lago) was only lightly raced winning 5 of his 8 starts in Australia culminating with a Doomben class record of 63.05s for 1100m.
He was just as effective during a North American campaign in 2006. He won the G3 Aegon Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks day clocking 56.28s for 1000m.
“Man Of Illusion had the ability to produce blinding speed at both ends of a race,” Greta West studmaster Laurie McCarthy said. “That was the main attraction for us and he fits the bill for our clients.”
Lascelles (2f Man Of Illusion – Nandaly by Geiger Counter) is a younger half-sister to Turiff (King Of Prussia). He is also trained by Symons and won the $50,000 Chatswood Vase Inglis Hcp (1300m) at Seymour earlier this season.
Their dam Nandaly was one of several mares Symons inherited from his father George. She is an unraced half-sister to Devonshire (Racer’s Edge) who won 13 races and over $200,000 for Symons and his wife Janine.
Man Of Illusion’s only other runner to date has been the Peter Morgan trained colt Mirror Man. He has been nominated to resume racing at Ballarat on Thursday, April 14.
Mirror Man flew the gates on debut in the $250,000 Inglis Banner at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day but was posted three-wide outside the leaders. He was checked when Elite Falls charged home in the straight and the run was much better than it looked on paper.
Mirror Man (2c Man Of Illusion – Mornmoot Lady by Century) is a half-brother to 9 winners including the black-type fillies Marwell Lady (Lord Seymour) and Illusionist (Favorite Trick).
Mornmoot Lady was pensioned last year and Mirror Man can send her strike-rate into double figures this Thursday.
Man Of Illusion stands for a $4,400 service at Greta West alongside Dangerous (Danehill) and King Of Prussia (Anabaa).