News

Golden Season for Inglis Graduates in Macau

28th Aug 2011

Headed by Group 1 winners Golden Gunner and Happy Gladiator, Inglis graduates were the star turn in the just completed Macau racing season.

Macau have just 22 stakes races each season of which six are run at Group 1 level domestically. Three of the Group 1 races fell to graduates of Inglis sales.

In April, HAPPY GLADIATOR ($57,500 2009 Scone, 4g Viscount-Church On Sunday) took out the G1 Chairman’s Challenge Cup (1200m) for the Gary Moore Stable.

Sold by Woodlands Stud, Happy Gladiator was selected from the White Park ring by John Hutchinson of Scone Bloodstock Services.

The son of Viscount was then almost written off as a racing prospect after fracturing a sesamoid seven months later, but patience from Moore has seen the gelding flourish into one of Asia’s top sprinters.

Moore stitched up the Macau Trainer’s Premiership overnight, with 53 wins for the season.

Moore also prepares the rising star of Asian racing, Easter bargain purchase TRUST ME BET ($40,000 2010 Easter II, 3g Kitten’s Joy–Stormy Flyer) who has won impressively three times from as many starts.

The exciting youngster is another success for the Moore/Scone Bloodstock collaboration, with Hutchinson recommending the son of outstanding USA racehorse Kitten’s Joy to Gary.

Melbourne graduate GOLDEN GUNNER (P$32,000 2009 Premier, 4g Black Minnaloushe-Clever Clogs) stepped up to the plate in the second half of the season, proving himself one of Macau’s best, taking the Group 1 double of the Macau Gold Cup (1800m) and Star Of The Sand (1500m).

The Macau Gold Cup is the third leg of Macau’s Triple Crown.

Offered for sale by Flinders Park Stud and bred by Bridsan Bloodstock, Golden Gunner began his career in Victoria under Robbie Griffiths before being sent to Macau to be trained by the combined stable of Brian Kan and Tommy Tse.

Fellow Inglis graduate WONDERFUL TIGER (Easter, 4g Exceed And Excel-Brave And Bold) added to the Macau stakes haul during the season, taking out the Grand Lisboa Cup (1500m) at Group 3 level in April.

While WORLD FORTUNE (Premier, 4g Testa Rossa-Wingin’ A Prayer) capped off a successful 12 months for Inglis’ with victory in the final stakes race of the season, the Group 3 Summer Sand Challenge (1700m), last weekend.

Photo c/- Macau Jockey Club - Golden Gunner (outside) goes home too strongly for race favourite St Peter’s Gift to take out the Macau Gold Cup by a short head