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G1 successes beckon as Inglis graduates dominate Rosehill and Caulfield cards

17th Aug 2024

A trio of untapped 3YOs and a three-time Stakes-winning 4YO showed they were all in for big spring preparations with impressive first-up victories around Australia today.

There was no more impressive Stakes winner than Gatsby’s (Snitzel), the Chris Waller-trained 3YO who resumed with an emphatic victory in the Listed Rosebud at Rosehill.

Gatsby’s was resuming from his 2YO campaign, which netted a debut victory and close-up 4^th in the G3 Pago Pago Stakes.

He has furnished remarkably into his 3YO preparation and showed that today with the easiest of victories.

The Phoenix Thoroughbreds-bred Gatsby’s is a $220,000 Easter Yearling Sale buy for Boon Chua’s Aramco Racing from the Vinery Stud draft.

He led in a trifecta of Inglis graduates in the Rosebud, defeating Clear Proof and High Octane.

Chua described the win as “very impressive’’.

“It’s very exciting, the team has always had a very good opinion of him, Chris didn’t want to rush him so he was lightly raced as a 2YO and was set for the spring so it’s started well,’’ Chua said.

“I remember him at Easter, he had a beautiful temperament, very good conformation and his pedigree was fantastic.

“The Easter Sale is great, I bought two at that sale, Gatsby’s and Chelsea, who is trialling on Tuesday, and then two more this year.’’

Gatsby’s (pictured) firmed into a $10 chance with Ladbrokes for the G1 Golden Rose off the strength of today’s win.

Also at Rosehill exciting filly Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) scored one of the more impressive Metropolitan debut victories of recent seasons with a stunning performance in the opening race.

While it wasn’t a Stakes race, it appears only a matter of time before Autumn Glow is mixing it with the best, supported by the fact she firmed straight into a $5 second favourite with Ladbrokes for the G1 Flight Stakes.

Bred by Newhaven Park, Autumn Glow topped the 2023 Easter Yearling Sale when offered by Silverdale Farm.

Arrowfield Stud and Hermitage Thoroughbreds teamed up to buy her for $1.8m.

“She’s a seriously special filly,’’ Silverdale’s Rob Petith said.

“It’s a massive day for the farm, we’ve had a great period so far for only a young farm and it’s just great to see results like this because the work Steve (Grant) has put in and his approach and the design of the farm, the infrastructure commitments and everything, to see this filly go on and do that on debut is pretty humbling actually.

“It’s also great for Arrowfield and Hermitage and Chris and his team. We were very excited to present her at Easter and achieving great results in the sale ring is one thing but it’s just brilliant to see an expensive filly go and start her career in amazing fashion like that.’’

At Caulfield today brilliant filly Drifting (Zousain) began her 3YO preparation with a tough front-running victory in the G3 Quezette Stakes.

Now a winner of three of her five starts, Drifting is proving to be one of the most tenacious fillies of her crop and looks set for a big spring carnival.

Drifting is a $160,000 Classic Yearling Sale purchase for her trainer Peter Snowden and Will Johnson Bloodstock, from the Murrulla Stud draft.

Snowden has big plans for the spring for the Baddock Bloodstock-bred Drifting, which will ideally culminate in a G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.

“It’s good to see her win like that, she put them away and ran nice time and we’re very lucky to have a horse like her in the stable,’’ Snowden said.

“She’s got a bombproof attitude, brilliant gate speed…hopefully it’s not her last win, I’m sure it won’t be. She’s in for a good carnival.’’

And Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel) returned a gelding and showed the ‘ultimate gear change’ had worked as planned with a comfortable first-up win in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes, also at Caulfield.

Arkansaw Kid – who won the $500,000 Inglis Banner on debut as a 2YO and is now a black type winner at two, three and four – will be aimed at multiple G1 sprints this spring as the Lindsay Park team attempts to add a blue riband to his already impressive resume.

Lindsay Park purchased Arkansaw Kid for $190,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Sledmere Stud.

“It was an emphatic victory,’’ co-trainer Will Hayes said.

“The world’s our oyster now. We really wanted to see what he was going to do today and to be so dominant, I think he’s going to have a pretty exciting spring.

“We’ll be able to pick our way through to an ultimate Group 1 and you’d think he’d be pretty hard to beat in any Group 1 sprint.’’

Arkansaw Kid has now won $1.4m in earnings including $200,000 from the Inglis Pink Bonus for being the first eligible runner home in the Banner of 2022.

Arkansaw Kid is bred by Philippa Duncan.