News

Under The Leaner travels to take the cash at Swan Hill

8th Jun 2012

Connections willing to travel gallopers for the chance of Inglis Race Series riches were rewarded again on Friday, with Caulfield trained two-year-old Under The Leaner taking home a $50,000 Inglis Race Series Bonus for victory in the Elvstroem Classic (1300m) at Swan Hill.

After scratchings all the competitors that lined up in the juvenile feature were sold at an Inglis Select Yearling Sale and paid up into the lucrative Inglis Race Series. So it wasn’t a matter of if the bonus would go off, but rather to whom.

UNDER THE LEANER ($27,000 2011 Classic, 2g Strada-Dezhilla) settled just in behind the leaders under jockey Jamie Mott and after been given plenty of galloping room down the straight reeled in Shambles Street and Clinking to score in a competitive finish.

“I thought there would be a little bit more speed in the race,” said Mott. “ He had a nice run but they didn’t go quick enough, but too to his credit he knew where the line was and he stuck his head out right on it”.

The son of Strada joins Murcielaga (Warrnambool), Elkaydee (Wagga Wagga) and Fat Al (Albury) as recent Inglis Bonus winners that travelled over 250kms to take home the lucrative spoils on offer to Inglis Race Series entrants.

Melbourne based trainer Tony Vasil has had much success in today’s juvenile event, having trained three progeny of Circles of Gold in Elvstroem, Haradasun and Altius to win the race, so the 350km trip north wasn’t much of a concern in the decision to chase after the Inglis Bonus.

“We were a bit stiff to run into a smart one [Clinton Affair] at Donald, it won at Donald and came out and won a Saturday at Caulfield the following start so it franked the form,” Vasil said after today’s win.

“I came here today relatively confident, but I wasn’t too confident 50m from the line, he took forever to wind up and lucky he stuck his head out on the line.

“He’s screaming out for ground, so once we get him over a bit more distance we’ll see what he’s all about really.

“It was great to win and a great bonus too with $50,000 on top of it, we’ve had plenty of success here, in fact I think that’s the fifth time I’ve won that race,” Vasil added.

Under The Leaner’s win was also the second victory in the race for part-owner Ross Lyon, who was a part-owner of Elvstroem, which the race has been renamed in honour of. Lyon races today’s winner with J Van Duuren, G Smith, G Tickell, A Campbell Burns & Harrison / Kean Syndicate.

Bred by Mr Nils Miller, Under The Leaner carries a 2x3 cross of the mighty Danehill and was sold to Aquanita Racing for $27,000 from the draft of Wimmera Park Stud of Young NSW at the 2011 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale.

Today’s first place prizemoney and Inglis Bonus takes the gelding’s career earnings to $88,000, with his record standing at two wins, a second and fifth in a Listed Blue Diamond Preview from just four starts.

The lucrative Inglis Race Series now moves to Grafton NSW on Thursday July 12, with a $50,000 Inglis Bonus on 2YO Open Handicap over 1200m. The series then shifts back south to Caulfield VIC on Saturday July 14, where a $100,000 Inglis Bonus will be offered on 2YO Open Handicap over 1200m.

Buyers last chance to secure a yearling in 2012 for nomination into the $5million Inglis Race Series comes up on Friday June 29 in Sydney, where over 115 yearlings are set to be offered in the bloodstock section of the 2012 Inglis Australian Weanling & Bloodstock Sale.

All yearlings purchased at the June sale and paid up into the Inglis Race Series have the benefit of being eligible to compete in next year’s $100,000 Inglis 2YO Challenge at Scone, which was won by $19,000 yearling buy Tinszelda this year.

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