News

Running By wins $350,000 Bracelet at Flemington

7th Nov 2024

Smart mare Running By (Impending) scored the biggest victory of her career to date when winning today’s $350,000 Inglis Bracelet on Oaks Day at Flemington.

Starting a $4 favourite with Ladbrokes, Running By capitalised on a dream run behind the leading pair to show an explosive turn of foot in the home straight and record a comfortable victory.

Trained by Ciaron Maher, Running By is building an imposing career record which now stands at 14:5.4.0 and $600,000 in prizemoney.

Maher purchased Running By for $210,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where she was offered in the Newhaven Park draft on behalf of her breeder Graham Daws.

Maher - who said post-race that the G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield in nine days’ time could be next on the agenda for Running By – admitted he targeted the Inglis Bracelet’s lucrative prize pool because it would be “silly’’ not to, given the $350,000 purse.

“We thought this was the right race for her and fortunately for the owners and everyone and even myself, it’s good to get a prize like this and we’re very fortunate,’’ Maher said.

“We always target the Inglis Race Series. Across the board – maidens, this race, the Millennium, Sprint etc – you’re silly if you don’t target it. It’s a great initiative, Inglis is a great company to work with and the extra money is definitely a help to everyone.’’

Part owner Mark Pilkington – who has enjoyed success in the Inglis Race Series before thanks largely to Xtravagant Star’s win in the $2m Millennium - added: “The whole Inglis Race Series is just a magnificent extra.

“If you buy a horse at Inglis…you can target these races and there’s plenty of money to be had.

“It’s smiles all round, a huge thrill, it’s always great having winners during Cup week. When the Maher team said that there were other races for her and that she could win a Stakes race we said ‘no, let’s go to the Inglis race’ so it’s great to have pulled that off.’’

Daws, who describes himself as a “boutique breeder’’, was unable to be at Flemington to watch today’s race but was proud to have bred a winner in Melbourne Cup Week.

“She was a beautiful yearling and Ciaron bought her for very good money but I still stayed in for a share and I’m glad I did,’’ Daws said.

“It’s such a thrill, it’s been a lot of fun up to now so hopefully next she can get some black type and really add to her value.’’

Running By defeated So Glamorous (Grahame Begg) and Waimarie (Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young) today.

Maher received a pair of Swarovski Optik binoculars for being the winning trainer of an Inglis Race Series event.

It wasn’t just the trainer and connections of the winner who were rewarded today for the Bracelet.

The Best Turned Out Award is a $500 cash prize presented to the strapper of a horse in an Inglis Race Series event deemed to be the ‘pick of the yard’ in the mounting yard pre-race.

Today’s winner was Lucy Doyle, strapper of the Grahame Begg-trained So Glamorous.

The $12.55m Inglis Race Series continues at Flemington on Saturday with the running of the Listed Inglis Banner.

The Banner is the first event in the series for 2024 yearlings and also contains a $200,000 Inglis Pink Bonus for the first eligible runner home, as well as the Best Turned Out award.

There are four horses vying for the Pink Bonus – Four On The Floor, Red Barron, Bubion and Rohesia.

The Banner is race 2 on Saturday and will be contested at 1.15pm.