News

Mal caps great week for Inglis grads

5th Nov 2016

Inglis graduates’ domination of the big races at Flemington in Melbourne Cup week continued today when Malaguerra won the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) and Jessy Belle claimed the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m).

Malaguerra became the fourth Inglis graduate to win at the top level at Flemington during Cup week, capping off a big seven days.

The five-year-old is a son of Sun Stud’s Magnus out of Tennessee Morn, who raced eight times herself for three wins at two – the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes, the Maribyrnong Plate and the Blue Diamond Prelude – all at black type level.

Malaguerra was having just his second start for new trainer Peter Gelagotis, having been previously trained by the Freedmans, but outshone his rivals to secure his 11th career win.

Malaguerra, a $32,000 graduate from the Inglis Vobis Gold sale for Bruno Micalizzi from the Ballarto Lodge draft, took his career earnings to $1,430,000 with the win, which was the final Group 1 of Melbourne Cup week.

Gelagotis was lost for words after the race.

“I’m not often speechless,’’ he said.

“I want to pay a special tribute to the Freedman stable. They have done a lot of work with this horse and I’ve got to take over the mantle and try and uphold that system and credibility of the horse.

“I’ve done it to the best of my ability.’’

Malaguerra joined Flying Artie (Coolmore Stud Stakes), Prized Icon (Victoria Derby) and I Am A Star (Myer Classic) as Group 1 winners during the week while Tiamo Grace (Group 2 Wakeful Stakes), Spright (Group 3 Crown Resorts Plate) Redzel (Listed Mumm Stakes) and Jessy Belle won black-type races.

No other auction house had as much success at the top level.

Aside from the direct winners, Mignard, the dam of Group 1 Cantala Stakes winner Le Romain, was picked up at an Inglis Sale in 2009, while also graduating from the Inglis ring was Beneteau, the sire of Victoria Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit.

Along with Beneteau, other Inglis graduates that have sired stakes winner over the Flemington carnival include Fastnet Rock (Awesome Rock, Comin’ Through, Anaheim) and I Am Invincible (Illustrious Lad, I Am A Star and Invincible Star).

Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster was thrilled with the results.

“I think the results of the past week again highlight our horses are not one dimensional, they perform at all ages and all distances, which has been reflected not only this past week but the entire spring,’’ Webster said.

“After winning more 2YO Group 1s and 2YO Stakes races last season than any other auction house, it’s great to see that crop of Inglis graduates continue to dominate at three.’’

Meanwhile Jessy Belle (Rock Of Gibraltar x Unconditional Love) proved too strong in today's Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington to earn herself her first black-type victory.

The six-year-old mare was backing up from Tuesday, where she finished fourth in a Mares Handicap.

“She was going to go for a spell after Cup day and we decided to see how she goes,’’ co-trainer Tom Dabernig of Lindsay Park said.

“Maybe the quick back-up helped just getting her to relax and taking the winkers off helped.’’

Jessy Belle was a $75,000 buy for Ellerton Zahra Racing at the 2012 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, from the Torryburn Stud draft.

Overall, Inglis graduates won four of the eight Group 1 races and a further four Listed or Group races during Melbourne Cup Week and had direct connections to multiple other Group 1 winners.