News

Turffontein Heads Up Sizzling Stakes Seven for Inglis

19th Sep 2009

Turffontein opened the new season Group 1 winning account for Inglis, as graduates had a field day winning seven stakes races in Melbourne and Sydney today.

Offered for sale by Fulmen Park, TURFFONTEIN ($70,000 2006 Premier, 5h Johannesburg-Spirit Of Grace) is a worthy winner of the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, having been placed three times previously at the highest level, including a third in the same race last year.

Trainer Anthony Cummings has been a big fan of the Dr Grace mare Spirit Of Grace, having secured her last four yearlings at Inglis sales, including an Elvstroem colt for $140,000 from this year's Premier Sale.

Inglis has been the dominant force in Australian Group 1 racing in recent seasons and going on some other performances today, Turffontein will soon have a number of others joining him on the 2009-10 honour roll.

Fastnet Rock had his first stakes winner for the new season when Lovemelikearock took the G3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle on Wednesday and his Easter progeny continue to shine, with an interstate stakes double today.

IRISH LIGHTS ($230,000 2008 Easter, 3f Fastnet Rock-Aspen Falls) lived up to her superb first up win when landing the G3 Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield.

Group 1 races now beckon the David Hayes trained filly, who races for Coolmore interests.

In Sydney, the famous all cerise colours of Ingham Bloodstock were back in the stakes winning list when STRYKER ($600,000 2008 Easter, 3c Fastnet Rock-Laetitia) shed the tag of Australia's best maiden in landing the Listed Heritage Stakes. The Chris Waller trained colt was previously Group 1 placed in the Golden Rose.

Stryker was one of four Easter stakes winners at Rosehill.

LUCKY SECRET ($220,000 2005 Easter, 6g Rubiton-Won't Tell) took his record to 12 wins in 19 starts in lumping 60kg to take the Listed Starlight Stakes. The Tony Vasil trained six-year-old's earnings are now closing in on the $800,000 mark.

MISS MARIELLE ($330,000 2006 Easter, 5m Encosta De Lago-Miss Vandal) lived up to her recent G2 Chelmsford Stakes placing to take out the Group 2 Hill Stakes. Miss Marielle was a $250,000 buy for Belmont Bloodstock at this year's Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale and today's G2 win sits nicely alongside the two black type wins she landed as a three-year-old, making her a very valuable broodmare prospect.

Finally, DRUMBEATS ($350,000 2007 Easter, 4h Redoute’s Choice-Delicate Choice) showed he was on target for the G1 Epsom next month when fighting on valiantly to take the Group 2 Shannon Stakes. He was originally purchased by Woodlands Stud, but now races for Sheikh Mohammed.

Rounding out the Inglis stakes success was RIGHTFULLY YOURS ($55,000 Classic, 5g Show A Heart-Academy Of Dreams) who landed a breakthrough stakes win in the Listed South Yarra Stakes in an encore of his full-brother Heart Of Dreams' performance in taking out the G1 Underwood Stakes later in the day.

Though not a stakes winner, another impressive Inglis victor at Caulfield was TRIBUNAL (P$275,000 2008 Easter, 3c Encosta De Lago-Triattica), who confirmed himself as a leading player for this year's G1 Victoria Derby when winning comfortably over 1700m.

The Mick Price trained colt has strong staying credentials, being a half-brother to runaway G1 Adelaide Cup (3200m) winner Demerger, who herself was sold for $725,000 at the 2007 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.