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Verona Rose proves too strong in Inglis Bracelet

6th Nov 2025

Verona Rose (Castelvecchio) – the $40,000 Classic Yearling Sale bargain buy – scored a fourth career victory today when winning the $350,000 Inglis Bracelet at Flemington.

Verona Rose won her first three starts as a 3YO filly before finishing 4^th and 6^th respectively in the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes and G1 Australian Oaks.

Trained by Gary Portelli at Warwick Farm, the 4YO continues to prove a lucrative investment for her connections, with today’s win coming at just her 11^th career start.

Today’s $192,500 winners’ cheque takes Verona Rose’s overall earnings to $512,000.

Offered by her breeder Arrowfield Stud at the Classic Yearling Sale, Verona Rose (pictured) becomes Portelli’s first winner of an Inglis Race Series event.

“A $40,000 filly that’s won more than half a million dollars now,’’ Portelli said.

“She’s testament that you can find these horses, particularly at the Classic Sale. It’s a great sale to buy value. I’ve got some beautiful 2YOs coming through again from Classic this year. It’s a happy hunting ground for us.

“There’s people in this horse that have never been to Flemington before, they’ve watched it on TV and there they are watching their horse win. You cannot put a price on that.

“The prizemoney here is too good not to target these races, it’s massive.’’

A delighted part-owner Adam Hing agreed with Portelli’s sentiments.

“I’m lost for words. This is just phenomenal. It’s been an amazing experience,’’ Hing said.

“To come here on such an iconic week and have a winner at Flemington, it’s absolutely a dream come true.

“Verona Rose is by the far the most impressive horse I’ve owned and it’s been a wonderful experience.

“It’s a really great ownership group, we go to a lot of the races together.

“It’s been an amazing experience here. When Verona Rose was accepted into the race we knew we had to get here. I’ve never been to Flemington before….it’s just incredible.’’

Verona Rose defeated Premier Yearling Sale duo Sweltering and Keep Your Cool today.

Prior to the running of the Inglis Bracelet, the Racing Blogger Stephen Power – who has taken the Victorian Spring Carnival by storm in recent weeks with his charismatic vlogs and behind-the-scenes exposure of all aspects of the carnival – was a special guest judge for the Best Turned Out Award.

The Best Turned Out Award is associated with Inglis Race Series events where the strapper of the horse deemed the best presented in the mounting yard pre-race receives a cash prize.

Power chose the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr-trained Bronte Beach to be the Best Turned Out, ensuring strapper Alina Alieva was the recipient of today’s $500 prize.

The next Best Turned Out Award will be presented – again by Power – ahead of Saturday’s Listed Inglis Banner at Flemington.