News

Able Friend Duplicates Chautauqua At Sha Tin

25th Oct 2015

Seven stakes races across Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong were won on the weekend by Inglis graduates, highlighted by the barnstorming victory of world class galloper Able Friend first up over 1200m at Sha Tin.

Able Friend came from last on the turn to thunder home over the top of his rivals in the Hong Kong Group 2 Premier Bowl, duplicating the spectacular win of Chautauqua in the Group 1 MVRC Manikato Stakes 48 hours earlier in Australia.

Other stakes winning Inglis graduates on the weekend were:
Contentment - Hong Kong Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy (1600m)
Stepitup - Singapore Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m)
Jameka - Group 2 MVRC Moonee Valley Vase (2040m)
Lake Geneva - Listed MVRC William Crocket Stakes (1200m)
Ovidio – Listed Woolavington Stakes (2400m) in South Africa

Read the story 'Chautauqua Blazes In Manikato' at inglis.com.au

Able Friend (Shamardal x Ponte Piccolo) took his Hong Kong earnings to HK$54,673,624 (A$9,780,000) with his seventh straight victory at Sha Tin and 13th win in his career from 20 starts. The ‘beast from the east’ was a A$550,000 purchase by George Moore Bloodstock from the draft of Turangga Farm at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and is owned by Dr & Mrs Cornel Li Fook Kwan.

Trainer John Moore was delighted with Able Friend’s seasonal debut, cheekily suggesting he is the best sprinter and miler in the region saying “winning so facile like that just shows the world that he is an out and out champion. We just might have to run him in the Hong Kong Sprint first and then back him up in the Mile a race later!”

Able Friend is set to step up to 1600m on 21 November, before defending his champion miler crown in the Hong Kong Mile on Sunday 13 December 2015.

Contentment (Hussonet x Jemison) showed he was on track for a crack at the Hong Kong Mile with a decisive win in the Hong Kong Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy over 1600m for John Size, Joao Moreira and Benson Lo Tak Wing.

Purchased by John Foote Bloodstock for A$65,000 from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2012 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Contentment has risen to every challenge set by trainer John Size. Sunday’s win took the gelding’s record to eight wins from 11 starts and HK$9,754,600 (A$1,750,000) in earnings.

“He has always shown me that he was a very good horse, from the first day that he walked into the stable,” said Size of Contentment, which is set to clash with Able Friend in the coming months.

Stepitup (Hussonet x Ain’t Seen Nothin’) kept his Singapore Triple Crown bid alive with a mighty win in the Singapore Group 1 Raffles Cup over 1800m at Kranji. Having claimed the first leg, the Kranji Mile, earlier in the month Stepitup will be out to become the first horses to win the Singapore Triple Crown when he lines up in the Gold Cup over 2200m on 15 November 2015.

“He didn’t look like he could win. He sure was in a major spot of bother, he was all jammed up, but geez, he just has this amazing mindset he just has to get the win,” said Stepitup’s champion trainer Laurie Laxon.

An A$80,000 purchase from Bellerive Stud’s draft at the 2011 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Stepitup was won his connections just shy of S$2,500,000 in Singapore thanks to 14 wins, 10 of which have been at stakes level.

Back in Australia exciting fillies Jameka and Lake Geneva showed they’ll be competitive at Group 1 level over the Flemington Carnival will strong stakes wins on Saturday.

Jameka (Myboycharlie x Mine Game) dominated the Group 2 MVRC Moonee Valley Vase over 2040m, becoming the first filly to win the contest since Rockets Galore in 1990. Trainer Ciaron Maher, who bought the filly for $130,000 from Gilgai Farm at the 2014 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, is confident his Jameka is ideally prepared for the Group 1 VRC Crown Oaks over 2500m at Flemington on Thursday 5 November.

“We’ve really targeted the Oaks with her. With that run under her belt she’s just starting to peak at the right time. She’s just got that lovely long striding action and is very clean winded, so everything in that regard says she’ll stay,” Maher added.

Lake Geneva (Fastnet Rock x Hips Don’t Lie) stormed home on the inside to win the Listed MVRC William Crocket Stakes over 1200m for Team Hawkes and James Winks. Group 1 placed in both the Blue Diamond Stakes and Golden Slipper, Lake Geneva collected her first stakes success in impressive fashion to suggest another attempt at the elite level might be on the cards.

“She certainly didn’t have the winners run and that is obviously why she got a bit tired towards the end, but it was a great effort, she worked hard and did everything right. We will see how she pulls up, but they do a race called the Coolmore next Saturday,” eluded co-trainer Wayne Hawkes.

The daughter of Fastnet Rock was sold from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2014 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale to Hawkes Racing for $1,000,000, and a Group 1 win would certainly enhance her residual value alongside her $600,000 earnings to date.

Across the Indian Ocean in South Africa Ovidio (Danehill Dancer x Pre Nup) scored in the Listed Woolavington Stakes over 2400m at Kenilworth for trainer Justin Snaith. A $30,000 purchase by James Bester Bloodstock from the draft of Crowning Stone at the 2012 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Ovidio has won his last four races in a row and will take his good from into the upcoming Cape Summer of Champions staying features.