News

Mourinho Kicks First Group 1 Goal For Gelagotis

26th Sep 2015

Inglis graduates kicked goals across the country today winning a swag of black type at Rosehill and Caulfield, headlined by a thrilling victory by Mourinho in the Group 1 MRC Underwood Stakes.

In an electrifying finish Mourinho (Oratorio x Benevolent) came through the centre of the pack to win the Group 1 MRC Underwood Stakes over 1800m at Caulfield. With a bob of the head, Mourinho held off challenges from fellow Inglis graduate Fawkner and cult turf star The Cleaner, securing the first Group 1 win for his trainer Peter Gelagotis, and himself a start in next month’s Cox Plate.

An emotional Gelagotis was quick to thank Mourino’s large group of owners for their support and encouragement, saying “a gentleman once said to me it’s a privilege to be a horse trainer, and I think it’s a privilege to have a horse like Mourinho, and to work with the owners who are in the horse,”

“What do you say? It’s my first Group 1 winner, we’ve competed and we’ve really put our horse out there and we’ve backed ourselves and we’ve backed our horse,” said Gelagotis.

“There is a great group of owners who are in this horse, they are some of the most wonderful people on this earth, and they deserve the success because they live and breathe this sport.” Gelagotis said.

After missing out on acceptances for the 2014 Cox Plate, Mourinho will this year aim to emulate the feats of Northerly, and more recently Ocean Park and So You Think, which have successfully completed the Underwood Stakes/Cox Plate double.

Jockey Vlad Duric was impressed with Mourinho’s ability to push on and win, saying “God bless him, he’s a warrior!”

A $36,000 buy from the Little Wych draft at the 2009 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for his part-owner Leo Tartaglione, Mourinho took his record to 11 wins and nine placings from 38 starts, and his earnings past $1.3 million with today’s win.

In addition to Mourinho's Group 1 win, other Inglis stakes winners in the last 24 hours were Miss Gunpowder at Caulfield, Vanbrugh and Alart at Rosehill, and Take Pride at Moonee Valley.

Three-year-old filly Miss Gunpowder (Pendragon x Forever Rafter) maintained her impressive form winning the Group 2 MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude over 1400m, and securing a spot in next month’s Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas over 1600m, where she will aim to follow in the footsteps of fellow Inglis graduate Irish Lights which was the last filly to complete the double in 2009.

Trainer Phillip Stokes is confident that the filly will handle the extra distance well, saying "The 1600 metres should suit and she handles the track,”

"We had her very fit and it's a matter of keeping her together for another two weeks," Stokes said.

Miss Gunpowder, which was ridden to victory today by Craig Williams, was a $60,000 purchase at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for her trainer from the Think Big Stud draft, who stayed on as part-owners of the filly. The daughter of Pendragon has now earned over $195,000 in prizemoney.

Chris Waller’s talented three-year-old colt Vanbrugh (Encosta de Lago x Soho Secret) teamed up with Hugh Bowman to win the Group 3 ATC Gloaming Stakes over 1800m, leading to glowing reviews from his trainer, who indicated the Group 1 ATC Spring Champion Stakes would be the next stop for his charge.

"He has a lovely temperament and it’s great going into a Group 1 with a horse in form,” said Waller.

Waller was conservative about a possible trip to Melbourne to run in the Victoria Derby saying simply "Let’s just see how he goes at Randwick and take it from there.”

Vanbrugh was purchased by Irish bloodstock agent Mick Flanagan from the Widden Stud draft at the 2014 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $100,000. The exciting colt has now earned over $220,000 across three wins and two seconds from eight starts for Merriebelle Stable, Mr F A Kennedy and Mrs B L Kennedy.

The Pat Farrell owned and trained Alart (Excellent Art x Al Sahra) took her record to six wins from 11 starts with a strong victory in the Listed ATC Reginald Allen Handicap at Rosehill over 1400m under the guidance of Greg Ryan, marking the first black type for the filly.

The talented three-year-old has now earned over $200,000 for Farrell, who purchased the filly for $10,000 from the Kanangra Stud draft at the 2014 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale - Winter Book.

The Muswellbrook-based trainer said he would let Alart’s recovery from the race decide whether she would race on this season or whether it was time for a spell.

Overnight the Group 3 MVRC Champagne Stakes was won by Take Pride (Reward For Effort x Shabtis) for trainer Murray Johnson. Jockey Patrick Moloney steered the filly well ahead of the field, winning by three lengths.

This is the second win at Group level for Johnson, and the first for the $94,000 Boomer Bloodstock purchase. The filly, which was offered from the draft of Eldon Park Stud at the 2014 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, has now earned her connections over $220,000 from eight starts.

The next Inglis Sale is The Star Ready2Race Sale on Tuesday 6 October, 2015 at Inglis' Newmarket Complex in Sydney. Sires that had stakes-winners around Australia today that are represented in the catalogue include Stratum, Redoute's Choice, Pendragon, Bon Hoffa, Hinchinbrook, Testa Rossa and Exceed And Excel.