News

Kimochi becomes latest star attraction for Chairman's Sale

4th Jan 2024

Dual G1 placed filly Kimochi (Brave Smash) will be offered for sale as a racing and breeding prospect at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in May.

The Gary Portelli-trained 3YO is one of the most talented fillies of her generation, having never finished outside of the placings in nine starts, seven of which have come in Stakes company.

Kimochi broke her maiden as a 2YO in impressive fashion over 1100m at Kensington in March, defeating subsequent Stakes winners Kristilli and Oz Empress, as well as G1 Inglis Sires’ placegetter Pier Pressure, before placing in the $1m G2 Percy Sykes at Randwick.

The Spring saw Kimochi finish second in the both the G1 Flight Stakes over 1600m at Randwick and the G1 Thousand Guineas over 1600m at Caulfield, joining an elite group of fillies comprised of just Alizee, Global Glamour and Guelph to have placed in both those feature races in the past 10 years.

To date, Kimochi has accumulated two G1 placings, four G2 placings and a Listed placing for earnings in excess of $725,000 and is the apple of the eye of her owner Mr Leo To, who purchased her at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale in 2021.

“I am advised at the sales by Merrick Staunton and Bill Wong, two excellent judges, and we just fell in love with her at the sale,” said To, recounting her purchase.

“She is an incredible horse – the best I have ever had.

“Honesty is her finest quality – she tries so hard in her races, each and every time – and while she hasn’t always had racing luck, she has never not tried her very best.

“Gary is doing a fantastic job with her and she has improved with each run, producing a career best in the Flight Stakes and then again in the Thousand Guineas.”

While conscious of the quality of Kimochi and the obvious upside to her, To says the decision to sell is simply a matter of financial management.

“Our feeling is that there is a lot of racing left in her and clearly she is capable of winning plenty of good races in the future, but I maintain a significant breeding enterprise and to sustain that, I must trade when the opportunity presents itself,” he said.

“She has an exciting autumn in front of her, with the G1 Surround an early target, with the option of going to the G1 Coolmore Classic or the G1 Vinery after that.

“One of her best attributes is her versatility – she has lots of speed, as her form shows, but Gary and I are optimistic that she will also prove capable of being effective at beyond a mile, which opens up even more options.

“It is also encouraging to us that her sire, Brave Smash, did his best racing as a 5YO, while she is out of a mare by I Am Invincible, another stallion who typically produces stock that improve with time.”

Kimochi will be consigned at the Chairman’s Sale by Olly and Amber Tait’s Twin Hills Stud, who know the filly well.

“She came to us to grow out after Leo bought her at the weanling sale and has always been a lovely filly,” Olly Tait said.

“It is very rare for a race filly of her quality to be offered at public auction with so much racing in front of her, so it’s very exciting.”

Not only does Kimochi possess a race record of undisputed quality, she also hails from a pedigree of real substance, a point not lost on Inglis Senior Bloodstock Consultant Harry Bailey.

“Everyone will recognise this filly as a fantastic race filly, but her pedigree is a significant part of her appeal for breeders taking a long-term view with her,” Bailey said.

“She is a descendant of the elite race mare Infamy, from an incredible family cultivated by the great breeder Gerald Leigh that includes world champion stallion Dubawi.

“She has already beaten 17 individual Stakes winners, including the likes of Zardozi, Tropical Squall, Tiz Invincible, Skybird, Mumbai Muse, Coeur Volante etc so the quality of her form is there for all to see.

“These fillies that combine outstanding pedigree, physique and performance are rare jewels and Kimochi is going to be a star attraction at the Chairman’s Sale in May.”

Kimochi joins the likes of dual G1 winner She’s Extreme - one of the best credentialled fillies to race in Australia this century – as early confirmed entries for the Chairman’s Sale.

To enquire about entering a race filly or broodmare into the 2024 Chairman’s Sale, contact a member of the Inglis Bloodstock Team.