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Inglis mares produce epic efforts on the big stage

16th Mar 2024

Mighty mares Pride Of Jenni and Zougotcha confirmed their place among the very finest of recent Inglis graduates by storming to victories in the two biggest races in Australasia this afternoon - Caulfield’s All-Star Mile and Rosehill’s G1 Coolmore Classic.

Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai), the freewheeling front-runner who unfurled two breathtaking G1 triumphs in a week at Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, did it again at Caulfield in the $3.75 million All-Star Mile (1600m), beating short-priced favourite Mr Brightside into second by two lengths.

And Zougotcha (Zoustar) earned her second G1 success - and sixth Group win - with an imperious display to carry top weight in the $1 million Coolmore Classic (1500m), in doing so becoming one of the favourites for another top level event in next month’s G1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick.

Pride Of Jenni, bought for just $100,000 by Tony and Lynn Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud from the Segenhoe draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2019, has now taken her earnings past $5 million.

Bred by New Zealand’s Trelawney Stud, the 6YO has come of age under the training of Ciaron Maher in the past 12 months, having sprung a major surprise on this race day last year when a narrow second in the Coolmore Classic at odds of $31.

She broke through for her first black type win at the top level under a daring fast-paced ride in front from Declan Bates on VRC Derby Day last November in the G1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), then proved it was no fluke on the following Saturday by similarly taking the Cantala Stakes, by 1.25 lengths.

Today - having been collared late last start by Mr Brightside in the G1 C F Orr Stakes at her most recent outing - she was even more impressive than in those two wins. Jumping from barrier six, Bates was content to sit wide early before he and the mare set a fierce tempo to run her 11 rivals off their feet, having the race well in her keeping at the 300m mark.

“She’s very, very special,” Maher said. “You don’t get horses who can do that.

“It’s just stamina, isn’t it? Most horses have a 600m sprint, but she seems like she can do it for half a mile, or 1000m.”

Bates said he’d been confident Pride Of Jenni, the $3.80 second elect, could upset the $2 favourite Mr Brightside, rated by many as the finest horse in the country.

Asked if he could believe the win, he said: “I can believe it, because we have so much faith in her.

“This prep, every time I’ve sat on her back I’ve felt like she’s improved since last spring.

"I didn’t want to say that out loud because of what she did last spring, but I think it’s actually the case.”

Pride Of Jenni has also become the runaway all-time star for the Ottobre’s. Tony, a former apprentice jockey and Lindsay Park trackwork rider, and his wife Lynn have built a large team of horses named for their late daughter Jennifer, who died of brain cancer in 2015.

At Rosehill, Zougotcha made it two wins from as many starts this campaign with a tough victory in the Coolmore to go with her first G1 success in Randwick’s Flight Stakes (1600m) in 2022, plus her four G2 wins.

A $500,000 purchase from the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale of 2021 for trainer Chris Waller and Mulcaster Bloodstock, the 4YO took her earnings past $1.7 million with her victory in one of the country’s most important races for fillies and mares - her seventh career win from 14 starts.

Sent out a $3.30 favourite, Zougotcha settled fifth on the fence, and after being pushed into the clear by James McDonald inside the 300m mark, took the lead at the 150m and gritted her teeth to hold off the Maher-trained mare Semana to win by a long neck.

Fellow Inglis graduate Kimochi, who will be offered at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in May, put up a gallant effort to take third after being forced wide without cover from gate 14. The Gary Portelli-trained 3YO’s third G1 placing carried her earnings past $1 million.

Zougotcha, whose half-brother by Written Tycoon will be offered by Widden as Lot 24 at the upcoming Easter Sale at Riverside on April 7-8, provided a 157th G1 win for Waller, and a 90th for McDonald.

“It was good. Very rewarding,” said Waller.

“She was brilliant first-up and she carried the top weight in a good field today and beat them.”

The Easter Yearling Sale will be held at Riverside Stables on April 7 and 8.

To view the Easter catalogue CLICK HERE.

There was more success for Inglis graduates - and Waller and McDonald - one race later when Democracy Manifest (Flying Artie) flew home to take the G2 Ajax Stakes (1500m).

Bought by Allam Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock for just $70,000 from Network Bloodstock at the 2020 Inglis Ready2Race Sale, Democracy Manifest has now won nine races, a G2 and a G3, and more than $900,000 in prizemoney.

As the excitement builds towards next Saturday’s $5m Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill, Inglis graduate Drifting (Zousain) staked her claim for the world’s richest 2YO race with a dominant win in the last fillies’ lead-up, the G3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m).

Despite jumping from the widest gate of nine and sitting outside the leader, the Peter and Paul Snowden trainee had enough in reserve to kick clear inside the last 200m and win by a length-and-a-quarter.

Drifting, bred by Baddock Bloodstock, was a $160,000 buy from Murrulla Stud’s draft for Team Snowden and William Johnson racing at last year’s Inglis Classic Sale.

“It wasn’t a shock, it was just a matter of how easy we were going to get across and how much juice we were going to use, if she was going to relax and switch off, all that type of thing,” said co-trainer Paul Snowden, indicating Drifting would likely go on to the Slipper.

“Obviously, you only get a chance once, and she’s a very tough filly so it wouldn’t be beyond her. We’ll give her every opportunity.”

At Caulfield, outstanding Inglis graduate Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) continued the sparkling start to her career by winning her third black type race from four outings, in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1100m).

Bold Bastille went out a well-backed $1.50 favourite and gave punters no cause for concern, leading throughout, kicking clear under hands-and-heels riding, and winning easing down by almost two lengths.

A $270,000 purchase for her trainers Lindsay Park Racing and Group 1 Bloodstock from Blue Gum Farm’s draft at last year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Bold Bastille has now won $541,050 in four starts. She’s still nominated for the Golden Slipper, with connections saying they would make a decision on a start within 24 hours.

One race earlier, another Inglis graduate First Immortal (Churchill) claimed black type with his eighth win at start 16 in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m).

First Immortal, a $160,000 buy from Widden Stud’s draft at Inglis Classic in 2021 for trainer Mark Kavanagh, has now won more than $622,000.

And Brudenell (Russian Revolution) also added black type by winning the last race at Caulfield, the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1200m).

Bought for $80,000 from Inglis Classic in 2021 from the Glastonbury Farms draft by trainer Kris Lees and Tasman Bloodstock, the 4YO has now won more than $660,000 in 17 starts.

His half-brother by Capitalist has been nominated by Macquarie Stud for Inglis’ Australian Weanling Sale at Riverside in May.

At Kembla Grange on Friday, well-related 3YO filly Queen Of Dragons (Pierro) claimed a first Stakes success when taking out the G3 Kembla Grange Classic over 1600.

The full sister to high-class filly and Easter graduate Paris Dior, who led home Easter graduate Our Gold Hope for an Inglis quinella, races in the colours of Trilogy Racing, who purchased her in conjunction with CB Bloodstock for $330,000 from the draft of Marquee Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Bred by Stephen Wilde and Bill Hilton, Queen Of Dragons will now likely target the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill in 2 weeks.