News

Samaready leads Inglis charge for more spring riches

29th Sep 2013

Hugely talented sprinter Samaready exploded back to her best at Group 1 level in Melbourne on Friday night, highlighting a bumper weekend for Inglis graduates at stakes level.

Five Inglis graduates were successful at stakes level in Australia over the last three days; Samaready, Rain Drum, Mourinho, Sharnee Rose and Crafty Cruiser.

Samaready ($150,000 2011 Easter, 4m More Than Ready-Samar) was having just her second start since an extended injury forced layoff, but showed she was back to her explosive best when romping away to a stunning four length victory in the Group 1 MVRC Moir Stakes over 1200m on Friday night.

Replay of the Group 1 MVRC Moir Stakes can be viewed HERE

The victory was the daughter or More Than Ready’s second success at Group 1 level having taken out the MRC Blue Diamond Stakes as a juvenile last year.

Samaready’s trainer Mick Price and her owners, managed by Vinery Stud’s Peter Orton, have shown plenty of patience in getting the mare back to her best following an injury to her hindquarter as a three-year-old.

“I thought it was a really brave, valiant win from the mare. She has come back as a four-year-old and with her runs spaced she will be back here for the Manikato,” said Price.

The Moir victory took Samaready’s racetrack earnings to $1,584,800, a fantastic return on the $150,000 paid by her owners at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by breeder Gerry Harvey amongst Vinery Stud’s draft.

Vinery Stud’s manager Peter Orton loved the filly, compelling together the current group of owners to race the filly; Vinery Stud (Mgr:P Orton), Greenwich Stud (Mgr:G Perry), Echo Beach Bloodstock (Mgr:A Green), Newstead (Mgr:N Gibson) & Encompass Bloodstock (Mgr:S McCann).

With six wins from just eight career starts the four-year-old is only lightly raced and regular jockey has no doubts there is more to come from Samaready.

“She has been a very good filly and mare to me. She was pretty arrogant tonight, she won with a lot in hand,” said Newitt.

Mourinho adds another Group 3 to his resume

Mourinho ($36,000 2009 Classic, 6g Oratorio-Benevolent) notched his second Group 3 victory of his career on Friday night with a gutsy win in the 2040m MVRC JRA Cup.

The high hopes held by trainer Peter Gelagotis and brother Manny took a dive earlier in last week when Mourinho drew the outside barrier for the middle distance contest, but the six-year-old was too tough for his opposition in the run to the line after taking up the running mid race.

“I said to Craig (Newitt) ‘just be positive, he loves the place and he’s ready’. He’s a top horse, he’s a Group 3 winner, his CV is excellent,” Manny Gelagotis said.

Purchased for $36,000 out of the Little Wych draft at the 2009 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale, Mourinho has had 18 starts for five wins and four placings with prizemoney earnings of $372,747.

Rain Drum leads home Inglis parade in Sydney

The Group 2 ATC Shannon Stakes was the feature race in Sydney on Saturday. The 1500m event was dominated by Inglis graduates that filled the first seven placings, led by the Gai Waterhouse purchase Rain Drum.

Rain Drum ($280,000 2009 Easter, 6g Fastnet Rock-Gifted Spirit) put in a tremendous performance to nab Centennial Park and Our Desert Warrior on the line in his first race in over 16 months due to a suspensory ligament injury.

“All credit goes to Gai. It's an amazing training performance and that's why she's the first lady of racing,” said jockey Peter Robl.

Gai Waterhouse purchased the highly talented son of Fastnet Rock for $280,000 from the draft of Goodwood Farm at the 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Rain Drum has finished in the top three in all his race starts having won six and placed another five times from 11 starts, accumulating $291,110 in prizemoney for his patient owners; J & Mrs A McDonnell, Team McDonnell Syn (Mgr: J McDonnell), J Hazzisevastos, Greenwich Stud Syn (Mgr: G Perry), S Mekertichian, M Butler & A Knight.

Sharnee Rose breaks through for valuable Group 3 win

Sharnee Rose ($40,000 2010 Easter II, 5m Nadeem-Farasha) finally broke through for a much deserved stakes victory at Rosehill on Saturday, holding out Group 1 winner Red Tracer to take out the Group 3 ATC Golden Pendant over 1400m.

The Easter Session II graduate was placed in the Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas as a three-year-old, but had found a black-type win just beyond her, until this weekend.

“She’s a fit mare and I’ve been happy with both her runs this campaign; she just hasn’t had any luck. It’s good to get this Group 3 win,” said trainer Kris Lees.

Sharnee Rose was sold from Yarraman Park Stud’s draft for $40,000 at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The daughter of Nadeem has earned just short of $400,000 on the racetrack thanks to three wins and 10 placings.

Crafty Cruiser salutes on Grand Final Day

Crafty Cruiser ($1,500 2007 March TB, 6g Good Journey-Sly One) gave his connections plenty to smile about of AFL Grand Final Day down in Victoria when winning the Listed MRC (Mornington) RM Ansett Classic over 2415m.

The win took the Bryce Stanaway trained six-year-old’s earnings to $400,000, a long way ahead of the $1,500 bid for Crafty Cruiser at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne March Thoroughbred Sale.

“He's been unlucky a few times. He could have had another five or six wins by his name very easily,” said Stanaway.

Crafty Cruiser’s record sits at 56 starts for six wins and 20 placings.