News

Cracking colt unveiled in $250,000 Inglis Banner

27th Oct 2012

Stephen Theodore unveiled an exciting juvenile colt in today’s $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) at Moonee Valley, with Crack A Roadie finishing best to take out the valuable two-year-old Inglis Race Series event.

Crack A Roadie ($40,000 2012 Premier, 2c Charge Forward-Road To Damascus) was given time to find his feet in the 1000m sprint, settling back in the field. Top jockey Craig Williams stoked the juvenile up around the turn and he lengthened stride nicely to finish over the top of Diva Dee right on the line, with Shamus Award two lengths away in third.

The first three across the line all earned valuable black-type as this year’s running of the Inglis Banner was the first time the $250,000 event carried Restricted Listed status after being upgraded by the Australian Pattern Committee and Australian Racing Board.

“I've been doing this (training) for eight years now and everyone sends me these lovely six and seven-year-olds, which I'm rapt to train and I've made a good living from it, but I'm never going to find a really good horse that way,” trainer Stephen Theodore said after the win.

“I put the noose around the neck and bought 14 yearlings this year and lucky enough I might turn out to be a not bad judge.”

Bred by Arrowfield Pastoral, Planette Thoroughbred & Belford Productions, Crack A Roadie was purchased by Theodore for $40,000 from the draft of Bellerive Stud at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale earlier this year.

"I trained his full brother (Road Trippin) and that certainly was a big influence but the Charge Forwards were averaging about $120,000 and this bloke I bought for $40,000 because no one liked him,” Theodore added.

Road Trippin has been a great perfomer for Theodore, having finished second behind Snizterland in the $250,000 Inglis Premier earlier this year before running third in the Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes behind All Too Hard at his next start.

Crack A Roadie’s connections collected $145,000 in first prizemoney for today’s victory, which is three and a half times his yearling sale purchase price.

The Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale is also the source of Starspangledbanner, the dual champion that today’s race was renamed after. The son of Choisir won the $250,000 race in 2008 when it was named the Inglis Juvenile. The race was renamed in 2010 in honour of its inaugural winner, with Crack A Roadie joining Diamond Earth and Elite Falls as winners of the valuable event.

Today’s winning trainer Stephen Theodore was presented with a pair of Swarovski Optik EL 42 Swarovision binoculars valued at $3,000 after the victory. An exclusive piece of Antler Luggage was also awarded to jockey Craig Williams and the owners; Mr F J Welsford, Mrs S J Welsford, Mr G A Kemp, Browns & Kirks, Hail, Hit The Line Racing, Mr T D Murphy, Mrs G M Theodore& Mr P Dalziel.

The $5million Inglis Race Series moved to Sale tomorrow for the running of the $100,000 Inglis Trophy (0-82) Handicap over 1400m for three-year-olds. The race is restricted to horses nominated into the Inglis Race Series.

For further information on the Inglis Races Series, including all upcoming race dates and entry conditions, please visit www.inglis.com.au/races or email raceseries@inglis.com.au