News

Inglis 3YOs all the rage at Rosehill

24th Sep 2011

Inglis three-year-olds Manawanui and Big Time were all the talk at Rosehill today, while the victory of Amaethon at Caulfield proved a small consolation for connections who sadly lost the galloper’s half-sister Crystal Lily yesterday.

MANAWANUI ($45,000 2010 Classic, 3g Oratorio-Lady Remlap) notched up his fifth win from just six starts with a dominant front running performance in today’s Group 2 ATC Stan Fox Stakes at Rosehill.

Sent straight to the front by jockey Glyn Schofield the star three-year-old never gave any of his rivals a chance, galloping away with the $150,000 first prize as easy as he liked.

The Ron Leemon trained Golden Rose winner will head down to Melbourne on Monday in preparation for the $1million Group 1 MRC Caulfield Guineas on October 8, where he’ll clash again with Helmet and Smart Missile.

“That was an easy run for him and just what I wanted,” Leemon said.

“He’ll be the fresh horse on the scene when we get down to Melbourne”.

The son of Coolmore Stud’s Oratorio (IRE) has now earned just shy of $900,000, a great return on the $45,000 Leemon paid for him at the 2010 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale.

Soon after lightly raced three-year-old BIG TIME ($220,000 2010 Easter, 3g Danewin-Salameh) burst into contention for next week’s Group 1 ATC Spring Champion Stakes, showing his rivals a clean pair of heels in the Listed ATC Dulcify Handicap (1800m).

Trainer John O’Shea has always had a nice opinion of the son of Danewin, who has kept improving with every run since making his debut just over a month ago.

O’Shea will sit down with connections to discuss backing up the three-year-old into next week’s 2000m Randwick feature.

“I’ll speak to the team but I’ve got to say the racing doesn’t seem to be hurting him,” O’Shea said.

“Running in Group Ones is hard to knock back when you’re coming off a dominant win like that”.

From the family of Champion sire Redoute’s Choice, Big Time was selected by Steve Brem from Emirates Park’s draft at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

The progressive galloper joins Foxwedge, Satin Shoes, Amah Rock, Kneeling, Golden Archer, Celebrity Girl, Specter, Darci Be Good and Strike The Stars as graduates of Easter to win three-year-old stakes races in Australia this season.

Later on in the day AMAETHON (P$110,000 2008 Premier, Al Maher-Crystal Snip) defeated some quality sprinters in the Listed MRC Testa Rossa Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, providing some joy for Contract Racing and Ellerton Zahra Racing who sadly lost his Golden Slipper winning half-sister Crystal Lily to a heart attack yesterday at Flemington.

A talented galloper in his own right, having now won four times and placed another nine from 21 starts, Amaethon has accumulated over $250,000 in career prize money for his connections.

The son of Al Maher appreciated the return to a firm Caulfield track, finishing too strong for First Command with Phelan Ready making ground to third.