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Hayasugi wins another Blue Diamond lead-up as Inglis grads shine

10th Feb 2024

Untapped 2YO Hayasugi (Royal Meeting) has made a clean sweep of the Blue Diamond fillies lead-ups, adding today’s G2 Prelude to her win in the G3 Preview a fortnight ago.

Hayasugi did it the hard way today, getting back in the field and not handling the Caulfield home turn overly well but she still had the tenacity to let down like a star and win in a tight photo.

The Clinton McDonald-trained juvenile defeated fellow Inglis graduate Kuroyanagi, both of whom will press on to the G1 Blue Diamond, which will be run at Caulfield on February 24.

Leading bloodstock agent James Bester teamed up with Shane McGrath and Cara Mok to purchase Hayasugi from the Fairhill Farm draft at the 2022 Australian Weanling Sale at Riverside for $47,500.

She has now won two of her four starts and $400,000 in prizemoney.

“She’s got such a phenomenal temperament, she was the pick of the yard today and she’s still got improvement to come,’’ Shane McGrath said.

“She got a bit lost around the turn but once she picked herself up she really let down like a nice filly so if we can draw a gate in the Blue Diamond, she’s going to give it one hell of a shake.’’

Bester added: “A lot of the credit for this filly must go to Shane McGrath, he’s the one who found her and dragged me down to see her to ask what I thought but he did all the hard work.

“This filly is very, very good. She did a lot of things wrong today but when she let down, wow, she just exploded and she just has this great will to win.

“She has to be a live chance in the Blue Diamond off what we’ve seen today and two weeks ago in the Preview.’’

Both Hayasugi (pictured) and Kuroyanagi firmed into $11 with Ladbrokes for the Blue Diamond.

Hayasugi is by promising young stallion Royal Meeting, who stands at Leneva Park in Victoria.

There are five progeny of Royal Meeting at next month's Premier Yearling Sale at Oaklands on March 3-5.

To view the Premier catalogue CLICK HERE.

Also at Caulfield today talented 3YO filly Estriella (I Am Invincible) scored a valuable first black type win with a scintillating first-up victory in the G3 Peter Le Grand Stakes.

Estriella showed significant promise at her first preparation last spring, winning on debut before progressing to be G2 placed at just her third start.

But she has furnished into a stunning autumn filly who will be hard to beat in anything she contests this preparation.

Her trainer Ciaron Maher paid $750,000 for Estriella at the Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Arrowfield Stud, who co-bred the filly with GSA Bloodstock.

And at Rosehill today Inglis Digital star Caballus (I Am Invincible) made it two from two since joining the Darby Racing team with a strong win in the G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes.

Darby Racing purchased Caballus for $315,000 from Coolmore and Chris Waller in the Inglis Digital October (Early) Sale last year and since then, the colt has continued to progress for new trainer Bjorn Baker and remain undefeated.

The 3YO will next target the $1m Inglis Sprint at Flemington on March 2.

“Unbelievable,’’ Scott Darby said. “The $315,000 on Inglis Digital is starting to look pretty cheap now.

“He’s a beautiful colt, he sat three deep the trip today and still put them away, it’s extremely exciting.

“We’ll be out at Riverside for the next three days for Classic trying to add some more Inglis grads to the stable.’’

Meanwhile last night in Tasmania Yellow Sam (Ready For Victory) made it back-to-back wins – and a first at Stakes level – with victory in the G3 Mystic Journey Stakes.

Trained by Lindsey Smith, Yellow Sam is a $4250 Great Southern Weanling purchase for Regal Thoroughbreds from the Kelly Thoroughbreds draft and has now won $275,000.