News

Easter filly Learning To Fly a star in the making

28th Jan 2023

A pair of explosive 2YO fillies, a young sprinter with untapped ability and another Inglis Digital success story announced their presence in the big league on the eve of the autumn carnival with impressive black type victories.

The G1 Golden Slipper, G1 Blue Diamond and $2m Inglis Millennium are among the races on the radar of talented juveniles Learning To Fly (Justify) and De Sonic Boom (Spirit of Boom) after both fillies scored brilliant debut G3 wins.

Ferocious sprinter Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner) firmed significantly in betting for autumn G1s the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap with a blistering first-up win in the Listed WJ Adams Stakes at Sandown.

And Inglis Digital mare Mariamia (Toronado) scored a valuable first Group win when upsetting some star rivals in the G2 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill.

For Learning To Fly (pictured), today’s G3 Widden Stakes at Rosehill proved the ideal launching pad for her career, scoring a tenacious victory in what was one of the most impressive 2YO displays of the season so far.

The extraordinarily valuable filly – by Coolmore’s US Triple Crown winner Justify out of G3-winning juvenile Ennis Hill – is raced by some of the industry’s leading figures including Tom Magnier of Coolmore, Ananda Krishnan’s Kia Ora, Georg von Opel’s Westerberg International and Joe Poulin.

Kia Ora purchased her for $900,000 at last year’s Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Coolmore.

Kia Ora’s Shane Wright was ecstatic following today’s debut win, which saw Learning To Fly firm into $8 for both the Millennium and Golden Slipper.

“Unbelievable! For a first starter to do what she did, you couldn’t ask for anything more,’’ Wright said.

“She was an absolutely beautiful yearling, just quality all over, so well balanced, all the power in the right places with a big, beautiful shoulder.

“She’s from one of the best families in the Stud Book so to be able to buy into that family and now have her get black type on debut, it really is a dream come true.’’

Winning trainer Annabel Neasham added: “She was brilliant. To do that at her first start, wow. She showed a lot more early speed than I expected but she’s very exciting.

“We’ve always had a really good opinion of her but until you see them come and do it on race day, you never know quite how good they are but we think she’s quite special.

“It’s an important ownership group and I’m grateful to their support of such a valuable filly.

“Being an Inglis horse, you have to consider the Millennium now in a fortnight. Obviously the Golden Slipper will hopefully be her grand final as it is for most of the 2YOs but we’ll get her home and have a chat to the team and see where we go with her.’’

Should Learning To Fly win the $2m Inglis Millennium, her connections would win a Ferrari as part of a promotion offered by Coolmore when Justify’s first yearlings sold last year, for the first of his progeny to win a G1 or a major 2YO race such as the Millennium.

Coolmore will offer a Pierro half sister to Learning To Fly at this year’s Easter Sale at Riverside in April.

To view the Easter catalogue CLICK HERE.

Also at Rosehill today, Inglis Digital pin-up girl Mariamia scored a deserving first black type win when defeating several G1 winners in the G2 Expressway Stakes.

Mariamia is raced by John Kelly of Newhaven Park, who purchased the 6YO mare for $335,000 through the Inglis Digital platform 10 months ago.

Since the purchase, Mariamia has now won a G2, earned $326,000 in prizemoney and developed into an extremely valuable broodmare prospect as well.

Entries for the Inglis Digital February (Early) Sale are now open and will remain so until midnight on Wednesday.

To enter CLICK HERE.

On Australia Day at Sandown, De Sonic Boom showed a scintillating turn of foot to come from the rear of the field to win the G3 Blue Diamond Preview.

It was a stunning performance from the 2YO filly, who immediately firmed onto the fourth line of betting for the G1 Blue Diamond at $11 as a result.

James Bester purchased De Sonic Boom – who he races with the likes of his wife Bridget, Michael Kirwan, Rob and Barbara McClure, Eric Lucas, Mike O’Donnell and Kia Ora Stud among others - for $300,000 at last year’s Premier Yearling Sale at Oaklands, where she was offered in the Supreme Thoroughbreds draft.

Bred by Stephen Whitling and trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, De Sonic Boom will take a traditional path toward the Blue Diamond, racing next in the Prelude in a fortnight.

“She’s a filly we’ve had a big opinion of for quite a while and she’s really improved through the whole prep,’’ Sam Freedman said.

“We thought the 1000m might be a little sharp for her first-up but she’s got a lot of scope and she’s a really sensible filly.

“A big thank you to Michael Kirwan, James Bester and all the owners who sent her our way. She’s got black type now at her first start so we’ll head toward the Blue Diamond with confidence.’’

This year’s Premier Yearling Sale will be held at Oaklands on March 5-7.

To view the catalogue CLICK HERE.

And Star Patrol surged into contention for all the big G1 sprints this autumn with an electric first-up win in the Listed WJ Adams Stakes.

It was a fourth career win at just start No.12 for the $78,000 Classic Yearling Sale purchase of Josiah Ma from Lustre Lodge.

“I was rapt with that. He really let rip when asked to,’’ winning trainer Clinton McDonald said.

“We’re so happy to just see the horse come back and give us the confidence we’re on the right path with him.

“We’ve got big targets in sight and getting him into the Oakleigh Plate next with no weight, let’s hope it’s a big carnival for him.’’

Star Patrol was bred by Peter and Deb Colley’s Greenhaven Park Stud.

Inspections for the Classic Yearling Sale begin at Riverside in 10 days, ahead of the sale on February 12-14.

To view the Classic catalogue CLICK HERE.