17th Oct 2015
Caulfield Cup Day, the first of the Melbourne Spring Carnival majors saw brilliant performances from Inglis graduates at both Caulfield and Royal Randwick, headlined by Mongolian Khan’s brilliant performance in the Group 1 feature.
Inglis Great Southern graduate Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor x Centafit) posted an outstanding win in the $3 million Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup over 2400m for Murray Baker and ridden by Opie Bosson.
The four-year-old jumped to the lead around the home turn, and showed exceptional class to hold off challenges from Trip To Paris and Our Ivanhowe. The dual-Derby winner was cemented as favourite for today's contest following a close third in the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Stakes on the same track last Saturday.
This is trainer Murray Baker’s first Caulfield Cup win, after finishing in the placings on three previous occasions.
"I've been coming here for a while. I think they gave me one for good attendance," Baker joked.
"It's one I wanted to win. The strongest 2400m handicap in Australasia. It's a great race and it's a privilege to be here," said Baker.
"He's got the most relaxed temperament, perfect for a stayer. He's done everything we've asked, we couldn't be happier with him," added Baker.
Baker confirmed that his plan for the entire was directly to the first Tuesday in November.
Mongolian Khan was bred and sold by Tasmania’s Grenville Stud as a weanling for $9,000 at the 2012 Inglis Great Southern Sale. Today he took his record to eight wins from 13 starts and his earnings soaring past $3.5 million for Mongolian-based owner Lang Lin and his Inner Mongolia Rider Horse group.
Other stakes results for Inglis graduates today were Lumosty, Sacred Eye and Nayeli.
For the second consecutive year the Group 2 MRC Caulfield Sprint finished with a dead heat, this time between Inglis Easter graduate Lumosty (Fastnet Rock x Luminous Eyes) and Eclair Choice.
After encountering some trouble mid-way through the 1000m challenge, Dwayne Dunn guided Lumosty down the outside of the pack where she fought strongly to hit the line at the same time as her counterpart.
The four-year-old was a $185,000 purchase from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2013 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for Troy Corstens’ and Jusin Bahen’s Flemington Bloodstock, and is raced by the incredibly fruitful partnership of Phil Sly and Katsumi Yoshida.
Aquanita Racing’s Robert Smerdon was pleased by the performance of his charge, which was running for the first time since her autumn campaign.
“I think there is good improvement to come from today. We hadn’t tightened her down at all. We are looking at the VRC Stakes on the final day which is a high aim to have for her,” said Smerdon.
“She is a dual stakes winner and a Group 1 place-getter so now we need to get a Group 1 win on her CV,” Smerdon added.
The mare has earned in excess of $460,000 for her connections across six wins from 12 starts, strengthening her future as a valuable broodmare.
Sacred Eye (High Chaparral x Musidora) proved her middle distance credentials today taking out the Group 3 MRC Caulfield Classic over 2000m. The only filly in the race, Sacred Eye powered to the front of the field to win by a length ahead of her male counterparts under the guidance of Damian Lane.
Lindsay Park’s David Hayes and Tom Dabernig will attempt to make history, by aiming Sacred Eye at the Group 1 VRC Crown Oaks over 2500m next month. No filly has completed the Caulfield Classic/Crown Oaks double, but Hayes is confident of their chances.
“She’s a star and the longer she goes, the better she’ll be,” said Hayes.
“If we feel she’s keen-winded and pulled up well we might go straight in (to the Crown Oaks)” Hayes said.
Sacred Eye was a $270,000 purchase by BBA Ireland Limited from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2014 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. In less than two months since her debut win, she has taken her record to two wins and two seconds from four starts, and her earnings past $360,000.
Inglis has sold the winners of the last five Caulfield Classics, with Sacred Eye following in the footsteps of Sabrage, Hvasstan, Polanski and Fontein Ruby.
In the final event on the card at Royal Randwick, Nayeli (More Than Ready x Wasimah) stepped out for the first time this spring winning the Group 3 ATC Nivison Stakes over 1200m ridden by Josh Parr.
Nayeli was a $260,000 purchase by James Harron Bloodstock from the draft of Corumbene Stud at the 2013 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. This is the mare’s fourth win for owners Greg and Donna Kolivos, which took her earnings past $350,000.
The four-year-old is trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, who will wait to decide the filly’s next target.
"It was really all about today, getting that Group win for her and getting the result for the owners,” said Peter Snowden.
Earlier in the day, two-year-old filly Miss Amajardan (Hinchinbrook x Jahre) made it two from two posting an impressive win in the City Tattersalls Club Victory Vein Plate over 1000m at Royal Randwick ridden by Thomas Huet. A $6,500 purchase from the Glastonbury Farms draft at the Inglis Scone Yearling Sale in May, the filly has already earned significant prizemoney for trainer Jenny Graham and owner Dale Miller.
Nominations close on Monday for the $250,000 RL Inglis Banner over 1000m next Saturday, 24 October at Moonee Valley. All two-year-olds nominated to the Inglis Race Series are eligible. For more information on the lucrative $5 million Inglis Race Series visit inglis.com.au/races
Upcoming races in the Inglis Race Series include:
$250,000 Inglis Banner – 2YOs - Moonee Valley VIC, 1000m – Saturday, 24 October
$100,000 Inglis Trophy – 3YOs – Sale VIC, 1400m – Sunday, 25 October
$500,000 Inglis Nursery –2YOs – Randwick NSW, 1000m – Saturday, 12 December
$250,000 Inglis Sprint – 3YOs – Randwick NSW, 1100m – Saturday, 12 December
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