News

Elite Falls Captures Inglis Banner

23rd Oct 2010

Trainer John O’Shea and owner Keith Biggs combined with More Than Ready filly Elite Falls to take out the $250,000 Microflite Helicopters Inglis Banner (1000m) at Moonee Valley today.

Renamed in honour of inaugural winner Starspangledbanner back in 2008, the Inglis Banner is the first race in the $2.6million Inglis Race Series for 2010 yearling sale graduates and today's result saw representatives from each of the Easter, Sydney Classic, Melbourne Premier and Autumn Yearling Sales line up.

ELITE FALLS is a daughter of More Than Ready from the three-time stakes-winning Danehill mare Niagara Falls, who is from the Group 2 winning Sir Tristram mare Bracken Bank.

Bred and offered for sale by Turangga Farm, Elite Falls was secured by James Bester Bloodstock on behalf of Keith Biggs for $300,000 at this year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

O’Shea was delighted with the way Elite Falls settled in Melbourne so quickly and is looking forward to the well bred filly coming back from a spell in the autumn.

"She had a bit of improvement coming in after the Gimcrack, which was a very strong race,” O’Shea said.

“She has a wonderful attitude, which helps.

“I probably wouldn’t do it with any other horse but nothing seems to faze her.

“She’s got some improvement in her and when she gets back to Sydney in the autumn I’m sure she’ll be very effective,” O’Shea added

The next opportunity for 2010 yearling graduates comes up at Canberra, with a $50,000 Bonus available on a 1000m 2yo race on November 28.

Following will be the second running of the $250,000 Inglis Nursery, which was taken out by fairy-tale filly Chance Bye last year. Like today’s race, the Inglis Nursery is restricted to two-year-olds entered into the Inglis Race Series.

The series, for 2009 graduates, continues at Sale tomorrow, with the $100,000 Inglis Trophy (3yo, 1400m), with a field of 12 vying for the prize. Inglis will also auction an unbroken filly by Churchill Downs at tomorrow's meeting.