$2.25m colt Congregation wins on debut at Canterbury

Congregation, the $2.25m colt, made a winning debut with a determined effort in the TAB Handicap (1250m) at Canterbury on Wednesday.

The Chris Waller-trained Congregation did drift in pre-post betting out to $8 and despite racing greenly in the straight, he finished strongly under Kerrin McEvoy to edge out Dumebi near the line.

It was the perfect start to the race career of high profile two-year-old colt who is by Arrowfield Stud’s super sire Snitzel out of dual Group 1 winner, Response.

This makes Congregation a full-brother to 2018 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab and a half-brother to talented sprinter Remarque.

Coolmore is among an all-powerful syndicate of owners who needed to go to $2.25m to secure Congregation at the Inglis Australian Easter Sale last year.

Congregation was the second highest-priced yearling sold at that Easter Sale behind stablemate and $3m colt Kandinsky Abstract, a full brother to multiple Group 1 winner Sunlight, who won on debut at Canterbury three weeks ago.

Kandinsky Abstract, who defeated subsequent Rosehill Saturday winner Celestial Legend at his only start, is also raced by a syndicate that includes Coolmore.