News

Catchy, Property win Diamond Preludes

11th Feb 2017

Inglis graduates made a clean sweep of the 2YO races at Caulfield today as the firm’s recent domination of juvenile events continued.

On the eve of Inglis’ sales season beginning with this weekend’s Classic Yearling Sale, Catchy (Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies) and Property (Blue Diamond Prelude for colts and geldings) continued their winning runs with strong wins.

Catchy, who was well supported as a $2.40 favourite, kept her unbeaten record intact and proved herself to be Victoria’s leading 2YO to date with a fighting victory in the Group 2.

It gave owners Rob and Sylvie Crabtree of Dorrington Farm another Stakes success and they can now look forward with added confidence toward the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, for which Catchy is now $6 outright TAB favourite.

Catchy (Fastnet Rock x Cats Whisker) cost the Crabtree’s $220,000 at last year’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Coolmore Stud draft.

It was the only yearling Rob bought in 2016.

Rob and Sylvie were trackside to celebrate today’s win, but Sylvie had her arm in a sling following a recent skiing accident in Aspen, from which they only returned to Australia yesterday.

“She’s in good spirits but at one stage on the trip, she was in one hospital room and David Brideoake was in the next room with a punctured lung,’’ Rob Crabtree said.

“But it was a great trip, and that was a great win by the filly.

“She’s beaten Limestone twice now, and she’s beaten Property, so she’s going to be right there in the Diamond you’d hope.’’

A decision on whether Property contests the Blue Diamond in a fortnight remains unconfirmed despite another dominant victory in today’s lead-up.

Property (Starcraft x Opalize) showed his customary dazzling turn of foot to continue his surge to Victoria’s leading 2YO race, and caused his owners David Price and Jenny Chapman a serious headache.

Property isn’t nominated for the Blue Diamond, and a late entry fee of $55,000 must be paid for him to take his position in the field.

“We’ll give it 48 hours and if he thrives from the run, then yes you’d have to probably pay up, but if he doesn’t, then we won’t be going there just for fun,’’ Price said.

“When he hooked out, you thought to yourself ‘yep, he’s one of the better ones’ but he’ll tell us if he wants to keep going.’’

Today’s results leaves the top five horses in TAB betting for the Blue Diamond – Catchy, Formality, Jukebox, Pariah and Property – all as Inglis graduates.

Add to this the fact Golden Slipper favourite She Will Reign was also sold in an Inglis sale ring and it’s a clear Inglis domination of the juvenile scene at present.

Meanwhile Fuhryk is proving to be one of the finds of the summer, with today’s easy Group 3 Caulfield win her fourth victory from her past five outings.

Fuhryk (Star Witness x Furhnatic) has raced only six times overall and with $230,000 in the bank – as well as black-type success now – her $60,000 price tag that Lindsay Park Bloodstock parted with at the 2015 Inglis Premier Sale is now looking like a steal.

3YO Fuhryk was offered by Rosemont Stud at Premier, while Supreme Thoroughbreds are offering her All Too Hard half-sister at this year’s Premier Sale, which starts on February 26 and runs for four days.

Inglis’ first sale of the year, the Inglis Classic, begins shortly, where a plethora of buyers are gathering to try and find their next star of the turf.

The Classic Sale begins at 5pm today, and continues at 9am tomorrow and 9am Monday.

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