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Classic bargain buy Within The Law wins $500,000 Inglis Nursery

14th Dec 2024

Unbeaten filly Within The Law (Lucky Vega) will aim to become the first horse to win the $2m Inglis Triple Crown following her victory in today’s $500,000 Inglis Nursery at Randwick.

The Bjorn Baker-trained filly debuted with victory in the $500,000 Inglis Banner at Flemington last month, in doing so becoming the first horse to win both the Banner and Nursery.

She will continue down the $12.55m Inglis Race Series path again, with her next run set to be in the $2m Inglis Millennium at Randwick on February 8.

To win the Triple Crown, a 2YO must win either the Banner or the Nursery, as well as the Millennium and Inglis Sires.

Scott Darby and his Darby Racing team bought Within The Law (pictured) for just $30,000 at this year’s Classic Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Yulong, who bred the filly.

From just two career starts Within The Law has now won $593,000 in prizemoney.

She continues a stunning run for Darby Racing purchases from the Classic Sale, headlined by $20,000 Golden Slipper-winning filly She Will Reign and $10,000 buy Yankee Rose, a dual G1 winner in Australia before selling for an undisclosed significant sum to Japanese interests as a broodmare.

“I absolutely love the Classic Sale, I’ve got some absolute bargains out of that sale, it’s just been so good to me and the business,’’ Darby said.

“$30,000 in 2024 is probably like a $10,000 or $20,000 from back when we bought She Will Reign and Yankee Rose and she’s one out of the box, just as they were.

“This Inglis Race Series is incredible, absolutely incredible. The amount of money on offer is amazing, especially for the 2YOs. A lot of owners don’t like to wait and these are massive cheques to be winning. She’s got a bloody good future this filly. Let’s hope she can keep going and win that Triple Crown bonus too!’’

Darby will continue to dream with his star filly, confirming the Millennium is next on the agenda following a short break.

“After she trialled [in October] we looked at the Inglis Banner at Flemington on Oaks Day for her but to be honest we didn’t have this race in the plans at that stage but she just pulled up so well from Flemington so we thought ‘why not double up’,’’ Darby said.

“She’ll have a little break now and come back for the Millennium.

“I remember at the Classic Sale she was a really nice, athletic type of filly. We took a punt on the stallion, we didn’t know much about him obviously at the time but loved her athleticism and thought we could get her for a bargain price, which we did and she’s now won what, $600,000 from two starts. It’s unbelievable.’’

Yulong’s Sam Fairgray added: “It was great to see her back up the Flemington win and bring that to Sydney and do it again.

“It’s a big coup for Lucky Vega to have a filly like her in his first crop, she’s doing everything right and we’re enjoying watching her have this early success.

“It’s a busy time for us obviously and with the Premier catalogue coming out this week, we’ve got 87 entries there at Oaklands and 26 at Classic and they’re all now in prep for the sales so it’s all systems go.’’

To view the catalogue for the Premier Yearling Sale – to be held at Oaklands on March 2-4 – CLICK HERE.

To view the Classic Yearling Sale catalogue – to be held at Riverside on February 9-11 – CLICK HERE.

Baker also received a pair of Swarovski Binoculars for being the winning trainer of an Inglis Race Series event.

Within The Law defeated fellow Darby Racing-owned juvenile Cobra Club in the Nursery, with Sequista in third.

The other big winner out of the race was Gail Jeanette which, despite finishing eighth, was the first Pink Bonus-eligible runner home and hence earned her connections a $200,000 bonus.

To be eligible for the Inglis Pink Bonus – the world’s most lucrative women’s racing bonus - a horse simply needs to be paid up to the Inglis Race Series and be minimum 75% female owned.

Trained by Fabio Martini, Gail Jeanette is a $130,000 Classic Yearling Sale buy for Tony Muollo’s AGR Racing.

Tony gifted the horse to his wife Gianna who in turn gifted shares to their daughters Sofia and Natalia, all of whom were trackside today cheering her on.

“It was my birthday yesterday, what a wonderful gift!’’ Gianna said,

“My heart’s still pumping, I can’t believe it. We were watching her in the run and trying to see if there were any other pink saddlecloths around her but she was first, it’s amazing.

“I thought ‘Oh my gosh she’s going to do it’ and she did, it’s just unbelievable. This is our first Pink Bonus horse and the first horse my daughters have ever been in, it’s all still quite surreal.’’

The payouts didn’t just extend to the horses in the Inglis Nursery.

The Best Turned Out Award – judged today by Inglis’ Pink Bonus Ambassador Yvonne Sampson for the best presented horse in the mounting yard pre-race – was won by the Kris Lees-trained Gobi Desert.

Gobi Desert’s strapper Maree Gomera won a $500 gift card as her prize.

“$500? Really. Wow that’s amazing,’’ a thrilled Gomera said.

“Just in time for Christmas. I had no idea it was so much money, thank you so much.’’