News

Mum's the word in Rupert Clarke success

21st Sep 2019

When former Vinery Stud employee Mark Nevin paid $600 for Lady of Helena at the 2013 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, never in his wildest dreams did he think he would breed a G1 winner.

But that’s exactly what happened today when Begood Toya Mother won his maiden G1 in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.

Soon after purchasing the mare, Mark and his wife Melissa sent her to then-Vinery stallion Myboycharlie and the resultant foal – which Melissa foaled down herself – was Begood Toya Mother.

After being offered at the 2015 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale through the Vinery draft, Begood Toya Mother (pictured) ended up in the care of country Victorian trainer Daniel Bowman and the results have been outstanding.

Today’s victory was his eighth from 13 starts and first at the top level, but such was the dominance of the victory that you envisage it won’t be his last.

Nevin, who spent six years at Vinery before moving to Rheinwood Pastoral for two years and is now back in his homeland UK, has followed Begood Toya Mother’s racing career from the outset.

“We haven’t missed a race and it’s been an amazing journey for everyone really,’’ Nevin said.

“He used to over race a lot but Daniel got him to relax and settle and that’s when he put those five or six wins on the trot together and how he’s a Group 1 winner.

“Credit to Daniel and his team, they’re having a great time with him and they deserve all the enjoyment in the world.’’

Begood Toya Mother became the 33rd Inglis graduate to win a G1 race since the start of 2018, and the third this season alone.

It was a first G1 success for Begood Toya Mother’s trainer Bowman and jockey Declan Bates.

Meanwhile the talented Inglis Easter filly Funstar gave her sire Adelaide his first Stakes success when winning today’s G2 Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick.

It was a third career win and first Stakes victory for the 3YO – which Anton Koolman bought for $80,000 from the Bowness Stud draft – edging out Probabeel and Libertini in a three-way photo.

Bred by Jack and Karen Sheather, Funstar will now progress to the G1 Flight Stakes at Randwick on Epsom Day in a fortnight, for which she is a $3.50 TAB favourite.

And I Am Eloquent (I Am Invincible) led in an Inglis graduates quinella in the Listed Jim Moloney at Caulfield when she proved too strong for Excused.

The 3YO filly, who has now won three of her six starts, is a $220,000 Premier Yearling Sale buy for First Light Racing, Paul Willetts and Busuttin Racing, from Two Bays Farm, who also bred the filly.