Hong Kong Sprint
In 1999 Hammond campaigned the gelding at Group Three and Listed class. He won the Prix Hampton at Maisons-Laffitte and the Prix du Cercle at Deauville and was placed in the Prix de Meautry, World Trophy and Prix du Petit Couvert. As a gelding, Nuclear Debate was not allowed to compete in France's most important sprint, the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp in October. Instead, he was sent to Italy where he claimed his first Group race on his twenty-third appearance when he won the Premio Omenoni over 1000 metres at Milan. He ended the year with an unplaced effort in the Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin.