News

Triple Treat As Inglis Graduates Claim Three Group 1 Races

11th Oct 2014

With five stakes victories going the way of Inglis graduates, it was an amazing period during the middle of the day when three consecutive Group 1 victories formed part of that five.

Fawkner, Trust In A Gust and Hosting were triumphant at Caulfield, while the only two stakes races held at Randwick went to fellow Inglis graduates Hampton Court and Neena Rock.

The Group 1 winning ways started with the Inglis Premier graduate Fawkner (Reset x Dane Belltar) who improved on his first-up second in the Group 1 VRC Makybe Diva Stakes three weeks ago to produce a brilliant effort to claim the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Stakes over 2000m.

A winner of the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup last season, the $70,000 purchase from the draft of Mill Park Stud in 2009, highlighted his claims for the upcoming Group 1 MVRC W.S. Cox Plate with his impressive long head victory.

As the first Australian-bred runner home in last year’s Group 1 VRC Melbourne Cup, part-owner Nick Williams suggested that could also be on the agenda for the dashing grey.

"Hopefully he can take his A-game to the Valley in two weeks, then maybe we'll go on to Flemington for the Cup as well, “stated Williams post-race.

Literally 10 minutes later, another Inglis graduate was celebrating Group 1 glory as Hampton Court (Redoute's Choice x Roses 'n' Wine) produced a brilliant turn of foot to down the favoured runners in the Group 1 ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.

Backing up after winning Listed ATC Dulcify Stakes over 1600m at the same track a week prior, the Gai Waterhouse-trained runner is now likely to head to Melbourne with the trainer highlighting the Group 1 VRC Victoria Derby as a possible aim.

Winning jockey Josh Parr was suitably impressed by the winning performance of the colt.

“His turn of foot when he got balanced up and let rip was incredible.”

Secured from the Milburn Creek’s 2013 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft for $500,000 by agent John Warren, Hampton Court’s victory was the 25th Group 1 winner for his sire Redoute’s Choice.

Heading back to Caulfield for the very next race, last start Group 1 MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Trust In A Gust (Keep The Faith x Subtle Breeze) was back in the thick of things, scoring a dominant three-quarters of a length victory in the Group 1 MRC Toorak Handicap, defeating fellow Inglis graduates Speediness (Premier) and Desert Jeuney (Autumn).

Purchased for $45,000 by trainer Darren Weir at the 2012 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Swettenham Stud, the Adam Sangster-bred runner has amassed his happy connections over $1 million in earnings from his ten career wins.

With Weir indicating that he could now head to the Group 1 VRC Emirates Stakes (1600m), he was over joyed with the second consecutive Group 1 win for the horse.

“He’s a great racehorse, he makes his own luck,” Weir said.

“He just rolls forward, sits outside the leader and makes his own luck and toughs it out really well and that’s exactly what he did today.

“He is just a pleasure to train.”

The John Sargent-trained Neena Rock (Fastnet Rock x Feminine Wiles) was next in the winner’s enclosure, recording victory in the Group 3 ATC Angst Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

Purchased from the draft of Shady Lane Thoroughbreds at the 2010 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $80,000, the Group 3 victory had her trainer thinking of bigger plans.

"She is a typical Fastnet Rock, they’ve got big hearts. She went hard to the line and it was a good effort.”

“She might go down [Melbourne] in three weeks for the Myer [Classic].”

“Mares when they are in form, they are in form. Let’s hope she keeps on it for three weeks.”

The final stakes-winning Inglis graduate of the day occurred earlier at Caulfield when Greg Eurell’s Hosting (Host x Kali Smytzer), from the draft of Shadow Glen at the 2011 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, recorded back-to-back victories, winning the Listed MRC Weekend Hussler Stakes over 1400m.

Claiming the race named after fellow Inglis Premier graduate, the multiple Group 1 winner Weekend Hussler, Hosting, just like Trust In A Gust could head to the Group 1 VRC Emirates Stakes at the end of the carnival.