News

Apache Cat, Viking Legend, Pointers To Premier

14th Feb 2009

Apache Cat’s dominance of the G1 Australia Stakes and Viking Legend (pictured) becoming the first winner for Elvstroem put the spotlight on the 2009 Inglis Premier Sale at Moonee Valley, on a day where Inglis graduates also claimed the final four stakes races at Randwick.

Apache Cat bounced back to his best form when becoming the first horse since Manikato to claim successive wins in the MVRC’s Group 1 1200m sprint, meaning he is now a seven times Group 1 winner.

The $3.9m earner is from the Whiskey Road mare Tennessee Blaze, who has produced five other winners in addition to her champion son.

Bombora Downs have a Dubawi half-sister to Apache Cat catalogued as Lot 129 at next month’s Melbourne Premier Sale, which will be held at Oaklands from March 1-4.

Earlier, Melbourne Premier graduate VIKING LEGEND ($165,000 2008 Premier, 2c Elvstroem-Innocent Baby) became the first winner for his five times Group 1 winning sire Elvstroem when winning the opening event.

Viking Legend caught the eye on debut when second to Blue Diamond equal favourite Real Saga and he lived right up to that form with a tenacious victory today.

Elvstroem himself hadn’t even begun his racing career at this stage of his juvenile year.

After proving extremely popular last year, with progeny selling up to $300,000, Elvstroem is again represented by an outstanding draft of 55 yearlings at Oaklands next month.

“Elvstroem had an outstanding group of yearlings last year, with some 50 entries making him the leading first season sire at Premier and he has a similar number of highly credentialed youngsters heading to the sale this year,” Inglis Director Peter Heagney said.

“It is very encouraging to see him produce a classy two-year-old like Viking Legend this early in the season, given Elvstroem himself peaked as a three and four-year-old.”

Viking Legend has now qualified for the $250,000 Inglis Premier on February 28 at Caulfield.

Leading Premier juvenile graduates this season include Rostova, Reward For Effort and Starspangledbanner.

One of the final chances for horses to qualify for this year’s Inglis Premier will be at Mornington’s Cup meeting this Thursday, where a $50,000 bonus for paid up Inglis graduates has been attached to the 2YO event.

The Premier Sale also received a boost at Randwick, when the David Payne trained ROCK ME BABY ($260,000 2007 Easter, 3f Rock Of Gibraltar-Highest Cool) led an Inglis trifecta in the G2 Light Fingers Stakes.

Kia Ora Stud have a Galileo half-sister to Rock Me Baby catalogued as Lot 423 at Premier.

Earlier, MARCHINSKI ($100,000 2007 Classic, 3g Magic Albert-Elishir) added to the Classic Sale’s great record of success this season when beating older horses in the G3 Southern Cross Stakes.

HOT DANISH ($32,000 2005 Scone, 5m Nothin’ Leica Dane-Hot ‘N’ Breezy) added to her outstanding record when scoring a first up win in the Group 2 Breeders Classic.

YOUTHFUL JACK ($5500 2006 Christmas Thoroughbred, 3g Youthful Legs-Formative) continued the theme of value winners when adding a fourth stakes success in emphatic style when dominating the G2 Royal Sovereign Stakes, rounding out another highly successful day for Inglis graduates.