News

Benedetta the latest star confirmed for The Chairman's Sale

23rd Mar 2026

G1 winner Benedetta (Hellbent) – the most accomplished mare to be offered at public auction in the Southern Hemisphere this year – will be the star attraction at this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale.

The supremely talented Benedetta has been a racetrack force ever since she debuted as a 3YO.

She won six of her first eight starts – including the $750,000 Inglis Sprint at Flemington when defeating 11 individual Stakes winners – and didn’t finish out of the placings at her first nine starts.

Her G1 win came in the Goodwood at Morphettville, defeating the likes of Amelia’s Jewel, Skybird, Climbing Star, I Am Me, Oscar’s Fortune, Arkansaw Kid, Johnny Rocker etc.

Benedetta (pictured) is a further four times G1 placed – twice in the Black Caviar Lightning (including last month) as well as a William Reid and Robert Sangster – and is also a dual G3 winner and has finished in the top five in 10 of her 16 starts at G1 level.

She is Timeform rated equal or higher than the likes of Amelia’s Jewel, Kimochi, Legarto, Climbing Star, Stretan Angel, Learning To Fly etc.

The Ciaron Maher-trained Benedetta is still in incredible form, having defeated the likes of Giga Kick, Baraqiel, Marhoona, Beiwacht, War Machine, My Gladiola, Magic Time, Tropicus etc at her past three starts alone.

Benedetta will target more feature races ahead of The Chairman’s Sale with connections considering the likes of the G1 All Aged Stakes, G1 Robert Sangster Stakes and $5m The Quokka for her in coming weeks.

Benedetta will join the likes of triple G1 winner Provence, millionaire mares Arabian Summer and Generosity, Stakes-winning 2YO Kiki Express – in foal to Extreme Choice – Spicy Martini, Ahha Ahha, The Playwright, Snow In May, Cosmonova, In Flight, The Black Cloud, Good Banter, Appin Girl, Miss Icelandic, Just Feelin’ Lucky, Aeliana’s sister Sunshine In Capri, Classique Legend’s half sister I Am Famous, as well as the dams of the likes of G1-winning 2YO Captured By Love and the G1 Golden Slipper quinella in Flamboyant Lass (Guest House) and Zouper Star (Streisand) to be offered at The Chairman’s Sale.

Laurence Eales purchased Benedetta for $75,000 from the draft of Mill Park at the Premier Yearling Sale and she has so far won eight times for more than $2.4m in prizemoney.

She will be offered as a racing and breeding prospect in Widden’s draft at The Chairman’s Sale, at Riverside on the evening of Thursday May 7.

Eales described Benedetta as “an unbelievably good-looking mare’’.

“She’s a great sort and to be perfectly honest, she has never looked better than she does today, which breeders will see when they inspect her ahead of The Chairman’s Sale,’’ Eales said.

“She’s been a fantastic mare for us, with a lot of her owners being first-time owners but we just feel the time is right to sell her and let somebody else enjoy the fruits of her talent both as a race mare and broodmare.

“She’s a well-balanced, tough mare with such a good nature and has all the attributes of a standout future broodmare – she’s by a son of I Am Invincible in the rising star Hellbent, she has an incredible turn of foot and her demeanour needs to be seen to be believed, she’s just so calm and confident within herself.’’

Eales said the decision to offer Benedetta at The Chairman’s Sale was an easy one.

“It’s a very select sale and last year’s results especially were quite incredible for the Group performing fillies and mares and the way Inglis market these mares for Chairman’s, it’s world class,’’ Eales said.

“It’s the right fit for her, she is an elite race mare and Chairman’s is a sale for quality breeding stock so it makes absolute sense to offer her through Inglis, who have been very good to me over the years.’’

Widden’s Antony Thompson added: “High end G1-winning mares like Benedetta are rare to go to market and I would be surprised if there is a more attractive mare offered in these parts this year.

“She has a progressive pedigree, being one of three Stakes performing fillies out of her G2 placed dam and she has a pedigree profile to be compatible with a broad cross section of the best Australian stallions.

“An attractive mare with a sprinter’s physique, Benedetta would be an important addition to any broodmare band.’’

Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager Harry Bailey said Benedetta would be “without peer as the best mare to be offered for sale in this part of the world in 2026’’.

“It’s hugely exciting to have her coming to Chairman’s,’’ Bailey said.

“She had x-factor as a race filly right from the very beginning and the reality is that she has been desperately unlucky not to win more G1 races.

“Even as recently as the Lightning Stakes last month, she was checked at a crucial stage when starting her run and would have given Tentyris something to worry about, before ending up in the wrong part of the track in the Newmarket.

“Mares like this rarely come on the market so we are very grateful to Laurence and Prue Eales and their partners for giving us the opportunity to celebrate the career of their fantastic mare at The Chairman’s Sale.

“The catalogue has come together very nicely and with supplementary entries to be taken for the next few weeks, we can’t wait for May 7 at Riverside to give these elite fillies and mares the sendoff they deserve.’’

Supplementary entries for The Chairman’s Sale will be taken up until Friday April 24.

To enter CLICK HERE.