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Spright shakes bridesmaid tag to score deserved G1 win

4th May 2019

Talented mare Spright went from bridesmaid to bride as her trademark devastating turn of foot catapulted her into the Group 1 club in today’s TAB Classic at Morphettville.

Prior to today Spright (Hinchinbrook) – bred by Tony ‘Tubba’ Williams and his wife Sue - had proven herself a true G1 performer with two narrow placings at the top level, but an elusive first G1 had eluded her.

But her brilliant late sectionals came to the fore today, coming from last on the home turn to win eased down by a length on the line, adding to her previous four Stakes victories.

Spright’s win came less than 24 hours after her dam Dashoff sold to Mark Pilkington for $480,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, whose clearance rate climbed to 92% today following several private sales including Acquired for $450,000 to Ron and Deb Gilbert of Highgrove Stud.

Spright becomes the 14th individual Inglis graduate to win a Group 1 in 2019.

Spright is another Inglis pinhook success story.

She cost Gary Mudgway just $12,000 as a weanling at the 2014 Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale, where she was offered by Holbrook Thoroughbreds.

Mudgway then onsold the filly through the Premier Yearling Sale under the Grange Thoroughbreds banner, where she realised $100,000.

Today’s win took her career earnings to almost $1.3m.

“Spright was always a very memorable filly,’’ Mudgway said.

“She thrived the whole way through and was always going to make a nice race filly.

“She’s been very unlucky, just with her racing style getting back and having to be ridden cold, she could be a multiple Group 1 winner by now but I’m just so pleased she’s got that big one beside her name now.’’

Part-owner Greg White of Robrick Lodge could barely contain his adulation for the mare following the win.

“It was enormous. We’d planned this race 6-12 months ago and it all came to fruition. It’s very satisfying,’’ White said.

“She relaxed so well today, she seems to be doing that and settling a bit better now she’s getting a bit older so hopefully that’s not her last Group 1.

“I’ve had a couple of dozen messages since the race and they all say the same thing, that she deserved that Group 1 so much.’’

Meanwhile Easter colt Stronger (Not A Single Doubt) took the next step to becoming a valuable stallion, securing his first Stakes victory in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Gold Coast.

It was a third career win for the 2YO colt, which James Harron paid $1,050,000 for from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2018 Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Stronger defeated fellow Inglis Easter graduate Accession, both of whom will progress through the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Selling action returns to Riverside tomorrow when 351 broodmares and race fillies – plus one stallion share in Sizzling – will be offered over the next two days.

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