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Montefilia's history-making Spring Champion Stakes win

10th Oct 2020

Magnificent 3YO Montefilia did what no filly before her had managed, adding today’s G1 Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick to last week’s G1 Flight Stakes success.

The fact Montefilia secured a second G1 in a week came as no surprise to Tyreel Stud’s Linda Monds, who sold Montefilia to Baystone Farm’s Dean Harvey for $62,000 at the 2018 Inglis Great Southern Sale.

“She was never going to be an early runner, I thought she’d always get over a bit of distance given the opportunity and the right training etc and that’s exactly what’s happening now,’’ Monds, who bred Montefilia with her husband Laurence, said.

“It’s what she was really bred for. It does not surprise me at all that she’s doing what she’s doing. I’m speechless.

“As for heading to the Oaks now, she’s got the ability so time will tell.’’

Montefilia (pictured) is one of 51 G1-winning Inglis graduates since 2018.

She was ridden to perfection today by Jason Collett, who will next week partner the Inglis slot runner Gytrash in the $15m TAB Everest.

The Everest promises to be a monumental day for Tyreel, who will have their brand on two runners in Inglis graduates Classique Legend and Behemoth.

“We are going to have an Everest party with the staff here, my parents, make a day of it and see what happens,’’ Monds said.

“I think Behemoth, while he’s coming back in distance, he could do anything and is absolutely a winning chance and Classique Legend, well we all know how good he is and if he draws the right barrier and gets the right sort of track, he’s going to be terribly hard to beat.

“It’s just very satisfying and proud that we will have two runners in one of the world’s biggest races with our brand on them.

“We are getting our matings so close to perfect now and I really hope next year in the sales ring people will take note of our brand because we’re not only out there to make money, we’re out there to breed and produce winners and that’s what we’re doing on a regular basis.’’

Also at Randwick today, Sebring mare Emeralds led in a Stakes trifecta for Inglis graduates when successful in the G3 Angst Stakes.

It was a valuable first Stakes victory for the John Sargent-trained 4YO, an Easter Yearling Sale offering of Bhima Thoroughbreds.

Emeralds, raced by her breeder in Pinecliff Racing’s Jonathan Munz, defeated fellow Easter star Greysful Glamour, with Nimalee (Premier Yearling Sale) in third place.

In Melbourne, marvellous mare Fiesta (I Am Invincible) took her career earnings to almost $1.5m with a strong victory in the G3 Northwood Plume Stakes at Caulfield.

The win came as no shock, given her solid first-up performance three weeks ago where she charged home for third placing with a ‘flashing light’ on her.

“She was great first up and I thought she would be hard to beat today but then she drew the wide barrier and I was a bit worried but Hugh [Bowman] was fantastic,’’ Star Thoroughbreds’ Denise Martin, who purchased Fiesta with trainer Chris Waller for $150,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, said.

“We’re elated, it’s been a wonderful day. She’ll go to an 1100m race at Flemington on Derby Day now. She’s just a fantastic mare.’’

Fiesta was offered at the Classic Sale by Mike O’Donnell’s Fairhill Farm, who also bred the mare.

And Chapada (Bullet Train) won his way into next week’s G1 Caulfield Cup with a dominant victory in the ballot exempt G2 Herbert Power Stakes.

Trainer Mike Moroney was disappointed when Chapada finished an unlucky second when resuming three weeks ago in a race that also guaranteed the winner a Caulfield Cup start, thinking Chapada would struggle to qualify for next Saturday’s $5m feature.

But he now has little to worry about, given today’s win assured Chapada a berth.

Chapada is a $32,500 Classic Yearling Sale purchase for Paul Moroney Bloodstock, from the draft of his breeder Bowness Stud.