News

Inglis Premier A Highlight At Mornington

14th Feb 2012

Racing And Sports - February 2012

The $250,000 Inglis Premier forms part of three feature races programmed on a big card of racing at Mornington on Wednesday.

Scheduled alongside the Listed Mornington Cup and Listed Hareeba Stakes, the $250,000 Inglis Premier run over 1200m, is restricted to two-year-olds nominated to the Inglis Race Series which were offered at last year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Last year's victor Masthead (pictured) followed up his Inglis Premier win with a third placing in the Group One MRC Blue Diamond Stakes ten days later.

Masthead's victory in the 2011 Inglis Premier guaranteed his spot in the Blue Diamond field with first place prizemoney in the Inglis Premier allowed when assessing Blue Diamond ballot conditions.

This year's race will be hotly contested with two last start stakes-placed horses taking their place in the field.

The Gerald Ryan trained Snitzerland is attempting to win the Inglis Premier first-up following her narrow defeat at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day in the Listed Emirates Airline Plate. The Sydney filly was an impressive trial winner at Rosehill last week.

Caulfield trainer Clinton McDonald has targeted the Inglis Premier with No Smoken. The colt ran second at his only start in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) behind The Travelling Man.

Both No Smoken and Snitzerland are sired by one of the nation's leading sire of two-year-olds in Snitzel.

Another interesting runner is the Charge Forward gelding Road Trippin. The Stephen Theodore trained galloper already has a start at the track under his belt with a second placing behind subsequent stakes winner Armed For Action at Mornington last month.

The Ken Keys trained Excitus is the lone first starter in the field. Whilst the Excites filly is the most inexperienced in the race, she showed promise in her trial last October defeating Blue Diamond contender Members Joy.

In addition to the $250,000 in race prizemoney on offer, the winning trainer of the 2012 Inglis Premier will receive a set of Swarovski Optik EL 42 Swarovision binoculars valued at $3,000. The winning trainer and owner will also receive an exclusive piece of Antler Luggage from the New Size Zero range.

As part of the Melbourne Festival of Racing, the 2012 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale will be held at Oaklands on 27-29 February and 1 March.

All yearlings sold at this sale are eligible for nomination to the lucrative $5m Inglis Race Series including the new $2.4m Inglis Triple Crown Bonus for two-year-olds and three-year-olds.

Three runners in tomorrow's race have relatives catalogued in this year's Premier Yearling Sale.

• Bellerive Stud will offer a full brother to Road Trippin, as lot 173.

• Yallambee Stud will offer a half-brother to Repousser, by Haradasun as lot 251.

• Blue Gum Farm will offer a half-brother to Weekend Getaway, by Elvstroem as lot 339.

MORNINGTON WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY

RACE 6 – INGLIS PREMIER AT 2.45PM (2YO, 1200M)