News

APRIL HORSE OF THE MONTH

2nd May 2007

William Inglis & Son is immensely proud of its graduates who every month promote our name in winners circles around the globe.
This month we are delighted to recognise the achievements of

BENTLEY BISCUIT

Breeding: 5YO chestnut gelding by Peintre Celebre (USA) ex Tycoon Joy, by Last Tycoon (IRE)
Vendor: Edinglassie Stud as agent for Davilora Lodge
Owners: Mrs G. M. Waterhouse and Mr G. W. Mooratoff
Trainer: Mrs G. M. Waterhouse

The pinnacle of Sydney racing, the time honoured AJC Autumn Carnival, witnessed something special this year when the baldy-faced chestnut Bentley Biscuit captured his first Group One win and seven days later backed it up with another resounding victory at the elite level. Taking honours as the leading sprinter over the Easter AJC Autumn Carnival with two Group One triumphs within a week, there is no candidate more worthy of the honour of the William Inglis & Son Horse of the Month, than “The Biscuit.”

It is rare in this day and age for horses to be triumphant at their initial race start, let alone string together wins at their first eight racetrack appearances. Off the back of four trial wins, the Gai Waterhouse trained Bentley Biscuit has returned to the winner's stall at his first eight starts victorious, with punters' having sent him out a dominant favourite at each attempt.

Bentley Biscuit was purchased from the 2003 William Inglis & Son Australian Easter Yearling Sale for the bargain price of $120,000, lower than the sale average of that year of $145,430. Sydney's leading trainer Gai Waterhouse purchased the future Group One winner, but had trouble finding owners for the galloper. A previous stable client, Mr George Mooratoff was persuaded by Waterhouse to take a 50% stake in the gelding, while Waterhouse kept the remaining share.

Heading to Kembla Grange for a 1200m maiden at his first race start appearance, “The Biscuit” justified his extremely short quote, scoring by a widening 8.3 length margin. Canterbury Park was the next stop for a mid-week 1250m race, where Bentley did exactly what he was to do at his next successive six starts, win convincingly.

His winning sequence unfortunately came to an end when finishing a half-length second in the Group Three Newcastle Newmarket. An indifferent performance at his next start saw the Waterhouse trained galloper head out at 25/1 in the Group One AJC Doncaster Handicap over the famed Randwick mile. A close up third to multiple Group One winner Racing To Win had connections beaming, as they now knew exactly what their galloper was capable of.

Resuming for his most recent campaign with a fourth placing on a dead track in the Group One AJC The Galaxy over 1100m, Bentley Biscuit was then sent out as one of the fancied runners in the Group One AJC T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at his following start. Ridden by Nash Rawiller, Bentley Biscuit had a lovely run throughout, surging to the lead at the 200m mark to pull away for a comfortable 1¼ length victory. Winning the race named after her father for the third time, Waterhouse was delighted, “I think Dad would have got a real kick out of this with Bentley Biscuit in the wet.”

At his next start in the Group One AJC All-Aged Stakes (1400m) the following Saturday, Bentley Biscuit faced similar opposition. Once again showing superior domination, the galloper kicked away from the rest of the field upon topping the Randwick rise to score by 1¼ lengths, in the process taking his career earnings past the $1million mark.

Until now, Waterhouse has headed to the time honoured Royal Ascot meeting each June as a spectator, but this year Bentley Biscuit allows “Australia's First Lady of Racing” to have her first ever runner. Set for the Group One Golden Jubilee over 1200m, Bentley Biscuit will be looking to emulate former Australian winner and Inglis Graduate Choisir, who took out the event in 2003.

From a pedigree that is the envy of any breeder, Bentley Biscuit's family contains no less than 10 individual Group One winners, a total of 27 individual stakes winners coupled with a further 15 stakes performed gallopers. A pedigree definitely on the move at present, not only through the deeds of Bentley Biscuit, but the recent stakes wins to both Tipungwuti and the Group One victory of Tuesday Joy, a grand-daughter of the influential Denise's Joy.

William Inglis & Son would like to congratulate the connections of Bentley Biscuit for his recent Group One victories and wish them the best of luck at the upcoming assignment in the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.