News

Holy Empire Caps Off A Big Weekend

20th Oct 2013

Emerging star Holy Empire capped off a big weekend for Inglis graduates when winning the Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes at Kranji on Sunday, joining Fawkner and Diamond Earth as the winners of the weekend’s feature races in Singapore, Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

Fellow Inglis Select Yearling Sale graduates Polanski, Liesele and Boss Lane were also successful at stakes level over the weekend.

The full story on Fawkner’s all Australian victory in the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup is available HERE

Holy Empire ($55,000 2011 Premier, 4h Holy Roman Emperor-Dushanbe) was aiming for his third straight victory under the care of trainer Michael Freedman and the four-year-old duly delivered again, scoring by a neck under a confident ride from Alan Munro.

“He’s a progressive sort of horse that has just continued to improve. For any horse to string three or four together on end, that proves that they have a touch of class,” said Freedman.

“He’s still an entire but he’s a very tractable and a genuine horse and is shaping up as the right article.

“Even though he’s winning at 1400m now, I can’t wait to get him up to the mile (1600m), 1800m and even 2000m into the future.

“His pedigree suggests that he will appreciate that sort of trip and he looks to have a very bright future,” Freedman indicated.

By Holy Roman Emperor from a daughter of VRC Oaks winner Tristanagh, Holy Empire was bred by Mrs NV Calvert and sold from the draft of Kornong Stud Farm at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale to owner Bernard Lee (Horizon Stable) for $55,000.

Holy Empire has earned close to S$400,000 in Singapore thanks to an impressive record of six wins and three placings from just 10 starts.

Freedman and Lee might look to aim higher at next week’s Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m) if the entire pulls up well from Sunday’s victory.

Polanski Races Into Derby Contention

Polanski ($4,000 2012 Autumn, 3c Rakti-Citrium) strengthened his claims for a fairy-tale Victoria Derby by grinding out a tough win in the Group 3 MRC Norman Robinson Stakes over 2000m in Melbourne on Saturday.

The bargain yearling buy had his staying ability fully tested by favourite San Diego down the Caulfield straight, but the Robbie Laing trained three-year-old kicked strongly to the loud cheers of his excited owners.

“You can often be a mug and they can let you down. His win here the other day [in Listed Super Impose Stakes] I thought it was brave. He let go before the home turn and was very gutsy and we knew he’d improve three or four lengths on that. I thought he was a good thing today,” said Robbie.

Robbie selected Polanski from the draft of Chatswood Stud at the 2012 Inglis Melbourne Autumn Yearling Sale for just $4,000.

“After breaking in and spelling he’s just developed and is a terrific looking horse. He’s a good colt,” Robbie said.

“At the sales he was woolly. He wasn’t looking glossy like the other yearlings, it was no reflection on the stud, it was just the way he was there that day and Rob can look beyond all that,” said an excited Rachael Laing.

“Rob’s a breeding guru and he knows any bloodline in Australia. He’s a great trainer, we only have a small team of horses and we couldn’t be happier,” Rachel added.

By world’s joint champion miler Rakti from well related Citidancer mare Citrium, Polanski has earned over $250,000 on the racetrack. Connections will be aiming higher at Flemington in a fortnight.

Polanski heads into the $1.5 million Group 1 VRC Victoria Derby (2500m) in two weeks’ time as a huge chance. Victory would be a fairy-tale for Robbie & Rachael, who race the colt in partnership with Ross & Mrs F Warner, Jack & Jo Fraser, Henny & Ken Coram, Blair Shaw and Andy Hall.

Winning jockey Hugh Bowman certainly thinks Polanski has what it takes to match last year’s feat of fellow Inglis graduate Fiveandahalfstar in claiming the prestigious Derby.

“He’s such a big, strong brute. He ticks all the boxes. He’s hitting form, he would be an excellent chance in the Derby,” said Bowman.

Overlooked Liesele Wins Alinghi Stakes

Liesele (P$75,000 2009 Premier, 6m Exceed And Excel-Love's Here) had been overlooked by punters heading into the Listed MRC Alinghi Stakes at Caulfield. In the end her superior turn of foot was too good for her rivals after a dream ride by jockey Damian Browne.

The Liam Birchley trained mare settled near the the back of the field and took runs along the inside to claim the $120,000 event over Sumakaray and Lonhspresso, justifying Birchley’s decision to keep the mare in work.

"We had a talk to the owners after last start and it was either pulling the pin and going to stud or coming here," Birchley said.

"I was encouraged to keep going, I thought we had some unfinished business, she is very sound, she is a very good horse when there is a fast pace, the race worked out well for her,” said Birchley.

Saturday wasn’t the first time Liesele has been overlooked. The well-built sprinter was taken to the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale where she was offered for sale from the draft of Lustre Lodge.

The Hudson Family decided to race Liesele themselves after bidding stalled short of her modest reserve of $80,000, the same price paid a few years earlier for fellow Inglis Premier graduate Alinghi, which Saturday’s race was named after.

One that got away from buyers as a yearling, Liesele has earned over $450,000 on the racetrack and is now very valuable breeding prospect being a stakes winning daughter of champion sire Exceed And Excel.

Diamond Sparkles Back At Headquarters

Diamond Earth ($60,000 2011 Classic, 4m Choisir-Face Of The Earth) topped a great day for Anthony Cummings Racing in Sydney on Saturday bringing up a treble for the stable when claiming the last event on the Randwick card, the Group 3 City Tattersalls Club Nivison over 1200m.

The daughter of Choisir led all the way in Sydney’s feature event on Saturday, holding a length margin on the line over game challengers Plucky Belle and Hidden Kisses.

Cummings’ other winners at Randwick were Best Case and Strike The Stars, which were also purchased from Inglis Select Yearling Sales just like the Nivison winner.

“What she lacks in size she makes up for in heart and speed," stable foreman Edwards Cummings said.

"She will probably go to Melbourne. I'm not sure what Dad has in mind but I'm sure there's a race for her. It's the logical step,” Edward added.

A $60,000 purchase by Anthony Cummings Racing from the draft of Golden Grove at the 2011 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale, Diamond Earth has earned $691,425 during her 19 start career, which has included wins in the RL Inglis Banner and RL Inglis Nursery.

Boss Lane Rises To The Task

Boss Lane ($60,000 2012 Classic, 3g Dubawi-Lyrical Works) was set a tough task in his first attempt at stakes level in Sydney, but the lightly raced gelding rose to the task to score in the Listed ATC Brian Crowley Stakes over 1200m.

The Ron Quinton trained three-year-old old was parked up on the speed by jockey Sam Clipperton and after hitting the front topping the Randwick rise Boss Lane fought all the way to a short head victory over Mr Jackman and Dothraki.

“We had a talk before the race and I told Sam it was a long straight and to be patient, because if you don’t wait you don’t win," said Quinton.

“He is a nice horse, this horse. He’s got great scope. I might not do much more with him this time in and I think he will come back a nice sprinter in the autumn,” Quinton added.

Boss Lane’s victory was the third straight Brian Crowley win for Inglis Select Yearling Sale graduates following the wins of Better Than Ready and Hot Snitzel in recent years.

Bred by N R & M P Johnson, Boss Lane was sold to the late David Lamond for $60,000 at the 2012 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale from the draft of Dartbrook Downs Thoroughbreds of Scone.

Boss Lane is raced by a large group of owners; Mr N W Nicholson, Mr J Z Black, Mr W H Ralston, Mr S C Holland, Mr P G Lamond, Mr T J Lamond, Mr A W Lamond, Mr A J Whalley, Mr G M Radburn, Mr M D Bolster, Mr J H Clout, Mr G H Burge, Mr D J Dooner, Mr N E Dooner, Mr A T Dooner, Mr T W Dooner, Mrs P T Payne, Ms T Harcourt and Mr B W Brown.

Bigger races beckon for the son of Dubawi which has just had the three career starts for two wins and $90,405 in earnings.

Dates and information on the 2014 Inglis Select Yearling Sale Series can be found at www.inglis.com.au