News

Big day for Inglis graduates featuring memorable Memsie win

27th Aug 2022

Tough mare Snapdancer claimed a second G1 and a pair of impressive 3YOs made a clean sweep of the Rosehill features on a day where Inglis graduates won Stakes races in four States.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Snapdancer (Choisir) led from barrier to post to score a second G1 from her past three outings when victorious in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

At Rosehill, Sweet Ride (Deep Field) scored a valuable first Stakes win in the G3 San Domenico Stakes, as did Kibou (Maurice) in the G3 Up And Coming Stakes.

At Morphettville, ageless entire Dalasan (Dalakhani) took his career earnings past the $3.5m mark with a swooping victory in the Listed Leon Macdonald Stakes, a race named after his co-trainer.

And in Perth tonight, Resortman (Helmet) scored a second black type victory when successful in the Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes at Belmont.

For the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Kibou, today’s win could set him on the path to G1 glory, according to Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer.

Arrowfield bred Kibou and offered him at the Classic Yearling Sale, where Waterhouse and Bott teamed up with Bruce Slade of Kestrel Thoroughbreds to purchase him for $170,000.

“He was a lovely yearling, Gai and Adrian were very strong on him, they’re very keen on the Maurice progeny overall,’’ Freyer said.

“He showed them a hell of a lot early on, they made the right decision to geld him after the Breeders Plate and he’s absolutely an up-and-coming sprinter.

“It’s a great result for Maurice too, he’s continued on this season where he left off last season and he’s got another really smart one and possibly a G1 winner in the making in Kibou.’’

Kibou has now raced five times for three wins.

Sweet Ride may have surprised the punters – he went around $34 with TAB – but not his trainer Annabel Neasham, who was confident of victory heading into today’s feature.

“I was shocked by his price to be honest, I know first-up this preparation he was disappointing but he’s got better and better each time and we haven’t missed him at home, we’ve put a lot of work into him, kept him fit and he was the fittest horse here today,’’ Neasham said.

Sweet Ride was sold through the Widden Stud draft at the Easter Yearling Sale for $320,000 and is raced by Bert Vieira and partners.

“A big well done to Bert Vieira, he’s such a great supporter of the game and to win a very good race like this with a colt is very exciting for him going forward.’’

At Caulfield, Snapdancer (pictured) beat some of the best Weight For Age horses in the country in wining the G1 Memsie Stakes.

It was her fourth win from her past six starts and her second G1 success following her victory in the Sangster Stakes at Morphettville two starts ago.

The $60,000 Inglis Chairman’s weanling purchase for Sheamus Mills out of the draft of her breeder Coolmore has now won just over $2m in prizemoney.

“This horse has basically been in work since October last year…there’s a great group of owners in her and it’s just a huge result and she’s got a lot of options now,’’ winning co-trainer Ciaron Maher said.

“Maybe an Everest is an option but she seems to be really dominant at the 1400m, she’s got a high cruising speed, it’s just fantastic.

“I said to the winners when she was a two and three-year-old that she’d be better at four and five and I think she’s still developing, so the sky’s the limit.’’

Snapdancer is one of 74 G1-winning Inglis graduates since 2018.

At Morphettville, the 6YO Dalasan won his eighth race – and sixth at Stakes level – when victorious in the Listed Leon Macdonald Stakes.

The Harry Perks-bred Dalasan has been a marvel for his connections; since his trainers Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas bought him for $80,000 out of the Mill Park Stud draft at the Premier Yearling Sale, he has won more than $3.5m in earnings and looks set to add to that as the Spring Carnival continues.

In at Belmont, Resortman made it two wins from his past three starts with a dominant display to claim the Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes.

It was an eighth career win for the 6YO, who was just a $15,000 buy for trainer Michael Lane and Peter Capabaro out of the Supreme Thoroughbreds draft at the 2017 Great Southern Sale.

He has now won $400,000 in earnings.

Today’s results came after Garibaldi (I Am Invincible) won yesterday’s Listed Goldmarket Handicap on the Gold Coast.

It was a seventh career win for Garibaldi, a $475,000 Classic Yearling Sale buy for trainer Tony Gollan, Boomer Bloodstock and Aquis from the draft of Carramar Park, who bred the horse.