Escalation sired his first winner at Townsville last Tuesday and he was back in business with a second at Cluden Park yesterday.

Escalation (Ire) is a son of Selkirk and he’s off to a perfect start at stud for Townsville vet Dr Margaret Preston who stands him for a $2,200 service fee.  

Last Gift (2c Escalation – Eureka Gift by Puissance) is prepared by owner-trainer Jim Fogarty and he was a brilliant winner of the Parry Nissan Raceday Hcp on May 3.

Last Gift was such a handful for jockey Anthony Merritt on debut in April that stewards warned Fogarty about his racing manners.  Blinkers were added second-up and, despite copping a check at the start, the colt raced truly and gave them a towelling in the straight.

Connections collected QTIS bonus prizemoney of $13,500 and, on the strength of that performance, he will be winning again next time out.

Exaggeration (2g Escalation – Woodslot by In the Slot) was just as impressive in the AMP-Aubrey & Associates Maiden on May 10.  He sat outside the leader before jockey Frank Edwards waved good-bye in the straight.

Exaggeration is a homebred for Preston and he also qualified for a QTIS bonus.

Their sire Escalation sold for 70,000 guineas as a yearling at Tattersalls in October 2000.  He was sent straight to Hong Kong and won twice at Happy Valley before arriving here in May 2005.

Escalation is bred to get early-comers.  He is by Lanwades Stud’s champion stallion Selkirk who has sired 82 stakes winners as well as 141 individual two year-old winners.

Escalation’s dam Jaljuli (Jalmood) was a smart juvenile herself winning at Sandown and Goodwood before grabbing a G1 placing in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

Jaljuli is a half-sister to Kooyonga (Persian Bold), a G1 winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas, Sandown Eclipse Stakes and Royal Ascot Coronation Stakes.

Margaret Preston has stood several stallions over the years including 1977 G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Blazing Saddles.  A son of Todman, he sired G1 STC George Ryder Stakes winner Heat of the Moment before moving to England where his G1 sprinter Mr Brooks won the 1992 July Cup and Prix de l’Abbaye.

Blazing Saddles returned to Australia and, after a short stint in South Australia, served out his remaining years in Townsville.  He died aged 29 in June 2003.