News

Inglis graduates star on both sides of the Tasman

7th Sep 2024

An Everest contender, a Caulfield Guineas challenger and one of the most exciting 3YOs in New Zealand in many seasons.

That was the summation of a big day of spring racing today as Inglis graduates continued their strong start to the carnivals in both Australia and NZ.

Ciaron Maher’s mares I Am Me (I Am Invincible) and Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) did their chances of gaining a start in the $20m The Everest in October no harm when running the quinella in today’s G3 $1m Concorde Stakes at Randwick.

It was I Am Me’s day today, holding off a late charge from her stablemate to announce herself in the upper echelon of Australia’s sprinting ranks, leaving the likes of G1 heroes and fellow Everest contenders Giga Kick and Private Eye in her wake.

I Am Me continues to provide a phenomenal return on investment for her connections – Dynamic Syndications’ Dean and Adam Watt purchased her out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the Premier Yearling Sale for $210,000 and she’s now won $3.1m.

Bred by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, I Am Me is now a winner of 10 races and appears to have a big spring and beyond ahead of her.

“She was terrific. We were initially going to target the Concorde, Shorts and Premiere and then see where she was at but absolutely, we’d love to head to an Everest after that,’’ Dynamic’s Adam Watt said.

“I thought she was stiff not to get a slot last year. She’s an amazing Randwick mare, she’s had four goes there – one was at the end of her preparation and in a totally unsuitable race – and on the other three occasions she’s almost knocked off the 1200m and 1000m track record. She’s a proper Randwick mare.

“She’s got such a likeable racing profile, the type you want to be competitive in an Everest, she can sit on speed, take it up or take a trail.’’

At Moonee Valley, acclaimed colt Angel Capital (Harry Angel) surged into G1 Caulfield Guineas contention with a devasting performance to claim the Listed McKenzie Stakes first-up.

The Clinton McDonald-trained 3YO impressed on debut in a Cranbourne Maiden in April before a winless two-start Queensland Winter Carnival preparation.

But he returned in fine fettle today, showing an explosive turn of foot to score the easiest of victories and his first black type win.

Bred by David Peacock, Angel Capital (pictured) is a $400,000 Premier Yearling Sale buy for Ross and Andy Lao’s Upper Bloodstock – with Gregory Ho – from the Mill Park Stud draft.

“He’s only had one trial heading into this and he’s still learning what it’s about so it was very impressive,’’ winning trainer McDonald said.

“We’ve still got to work out whether he’s going to be a sprinter or a middle distance horse. I do have concerns he might be too brilliant to be a miler, he’s got such an electric turn of foot but for him to do that today against really good opposition, it’s encouraging and he’s only going to get better.

“He’s a big horse and on this tight track we were a little bit worried about that but [jockey] Ben [Melham] assured me he’d get the job done and he did.’’

Angel Capital will next contest the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude on September 21 ahead of the G1 Caulfield Guineas on October 12.

And in New Zealand today untapped filly Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) made it three wins from four stars with a dominant performance in the G3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings.

The 3YO has never finished outside the quinella and looks destined for further black type success this spring and beyond.

Her trainers Ken and Bev Kelso teamed up with Dean Hawthorne to buy Alabama Lass for $120,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Shadow Hill Thoroughbreds.

She is bred by Rifa Mustang.