News

Sebrella defeats the boys in the $100,000 Inglis Trophy

26th Oct 2014

Sebrella, the lone filly in the field, proved too good for the boys in the Inglis Trophy over 1400m at Sale Turf Club on Sunday to take home $110,000 for her connections.

$60,000 first place prizemoney, $30,000 Super VOBIS Bonuses and $20,000 in VOBIS Gold Bonuses made today’s victory a very valuable one for Sebrella. The filly returned to the winners stall to a rapturous applause from her many owners and their children.

Sebrella (Sebring x Caramella) was slowly away at the start and settled at the rear of the small field. Ulmann and Benny Dee hit the front at the top of the straight while Tashbeeh was working into the finish, but peeling off their heels was Sebrella and she showed a good turn to foot to score by three-quarters of a length. Only small margins separated Ulmann, Tashbeeh and Benny Dee in the competitive finish.

It was the second straight win for the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra trained filly, which looks a really progressive type.

“She is a nice filly that has always shown plenty of ability but has just taken some time. We targeted this Inglis race. We only paid $15,000 for her and picked up close to $100,000 today including VOBIS so she's done her job,” said co-trainer Simon Zahra.

“There'll be plenty of upside from today. She just might be a South Australian Oaks filly,” added Zahra.

Jockey Katelyn Mallyon was also positive about Sebrella’s future saying “she was really tough today, she had to pick up when I needed the run and then when she got out she hit the line great and there’s still plenty of improvement, when she learns to relax she’s going to make a beautiful stayer next prep.”

Bred by Northern Lodge Stud, Sebrella is by Sebring from the Strategic mare Caramella. As a yearling Sebrella failed to reach her reserve through the ring when offered by Northern Lodge as Lot 283 at the 2013 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, but was purchased privately before the end of the sale by trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra for $15,000.

Sebrella has netted over $125,000 in her short three start career so far, a great return on her connections investment at Inglis Premier. Winning trainer Simon Zahra also received a set of Swarovski Optik EL 42 Swarovision binoculars for today’s Inglis Trophy win, while Katelyn Mallyon received an exclusive piece of Antler Luggage.

The Inglis Trophy was one of two Inglis Race Series events conducted this weekend. The other was the $250,000 Inglis Banner at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day, which was won on debut by exciting juvenile filly Fontiton in race record time.

Full story on Foniton’s dominant Inglis Banner victory can be read HERE

The next event in the $5 million Inglis Race Series come up in Sydney on Saturday 13 December with the running of the $250,000 RL Inglis Nursery (1000m) for two-year-olds. The race was won last year on debut by Mossfun, which went on the claim the Group 1 ATC Golden Slipper Stakes in the Autumn.