News

Grace Rewarded With Gold At Bendigo

23rd Apr 2014

Two-year-old Hunters Grace collected 12 times its yearling sale purchase price in prizemoney at Bendigo today when saluting in the $100,000 Inglis VOBIS Gold Plate over 1000m.

Hunters Grace (Turffontein x Catch The Storm) settled outside the pace and when given his head in the straight ran away a strong two length win over favourite Theycallmethehoff (by Bon Hoffa) and first starter Gottakeepthefaith (by Keep The Faith).

“This is a great thrill. He’s always shown us ability but he pulled a shoe off at the start of his last race [at Caulfield]. It’s great that he’s put it together today,” said trainer Daniel P Kelly.

The winners connections netted $60,000 plus bonsues for today’s win, which is 12 times the $5,000 the owners paid for the juvenile at last year’s Inglis Melbourne VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale from the draft of Rangeview Park Thoroughbreds.

“I liked the horse at the sales and after it passed in I went to see the guy who was selling it and put in our offer of $5,000. After their second offering also passed-in he came up to me and said ‘you can have that colt, go and pick it up’,” recalled Daniel P Kelly.

Vendors with strong drafts to offer at this year’s VOBIS Gold Sale on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 April include Bowness Stud (33 lots), Swettenham Stud (26), Rosemont Stud (19), Eliza Park International (15), Fulmen Park (13), Basinghall Farm (12), Supreme Thoroughbreds (12), Bucklee Farm (10), Burnewang North Pastoral (10), Blue Gum Farm (9), Chatswood Stud (9), Phoenix Broodmare Farm (9) and Ultra Thoroughbreds (9).

Turffontein, the sire of today’s 2YO winner, is represented by 12 yearlings in the upcoming auction at Oaklands.

A total of 414 yearlings have been catalogued for the upcoming yearling auction at Oaklands, including the progeny of leading Victorian stallions Bel Esprit, Magnus, Artie Schiller, Domesday, Elvstroem, Hard Spun, Reset, Statue Of Liberty and Written Tycoon, plus other top sires Redoute’s Choice, Snitzel, High Chaparral, More Than Ready and I Am Invincible.

These are complemented by a raft of first and second season sires such as Equiano, All American, Big Brown, Bushranger, Duporth, Hinchinbrook, Nicconi, Onemorenomore, Reward For Effort, Rothesay, Star Witness, Stryker, Super Saver, Tickets, Time Thief, Von Costa de Hero and Wanted.

CLICK HERE for the online catalogue or download it on the Inglis Sales iPad App

The 2014 Inglis Melbourne VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale starts at 10:00am this Sunday 27 April. Day Two will begin at 11:00am on Monday 28 April.

Yearlings have already started arriving at Inglis’ Oaklands complex and may be inspected from Thursday morning. Vendor arrival times are available at www.inglis.com.au

All yearlings offered at the 2014 Inglis Melbourne VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale are eligible for nomination into the $5 million Inglis Race Series.

Inglis Race Series nomination forms, information and upcoming race dates can be found at www.inglis.com.au/races or please email raceseries@inglis.com.au

(Pictured L-R is John Sicari, Daniel P Kelly, Phil Hart & Julie Sicari with VOBIS Gold Plate winner Hunters Grace)