News

Videos Online as Premier Graduates Prepare to run for $250K

14th Feb 2011

Sirecam videos of yearlings heading to the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale are now online, with the sale set to be highlighted by some well-credentialed graduates at Mornington on Wednesday.

The 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale will be held over four sessions from February 28 to March 3.

CLICK HERE to access sirecam footage of yearlings for this year’s sale.

Premier is renowned as a rich source of outstanding gallopers and Wednesday’s $250,000 2YO Inglis Premier is sure to further underline that fact.

This race has been held at Caulfield since 2006, but shifts to Mornington’s Cup day this year, as the meeting presses ever closer to cracking the $1million prize money mark for the day.

The 1200m race has drawn together a capacity field, with a number of runners hoping to press claims for this month’s $1million Group 1 Blue Diamond.

The field is headed by John McArdle’s impressive youngster Delago’s Lad, who is likely to run favourite on the strength of a strong first up Sandown win. The son of Australian Guineas winner Delago Brom is currently rated a $13 Diamond chance.

Of all the two-year-olds to have tried this season, he is the closest any has got to hot Diamond favourite Sepoy, when a length behind him in the Maribyrnong Trial last October.

The Peter Moody trained Amour Cache finished only 1.2lengths from Delago’s Lad on debut and lines up for revenge on Wednesday.

Lee Freedman has chosen this race as the resuming point for talented colt Masthead, who was runner-up in the Inglis Banner last spring before finishing a close up fourth in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate.

Emerald Downs became the first winner for Churchill Downs when winning at Moonee Valley last week and she too is among acceptors. The Anthony Cummings trained filly is a half-sister to fellow Premier graduate Turffontein, who retired to stud last year as a dual Group 1 winner.

Robert Smerdon is seeking a third win in the race with Light Touch, following the success of Tale Of Love & Follow The Till in past runnings of the event.

Rick Hore-Lacy has accepted with three runners in the race, headed by Stratum fillies Noble Twostep & Iota.

David Hayes and Danny O’Brien both have two runners each due to line up. Hayes will saddle-up last start Flemington & Morphettville place-getting colts Bladon & Moscow, while O’Brien’s entrants are Raffles Pegasus & A Rare Old Time.

This year’s race also boasts a New Zealand presence, with Bulwer Bay using the event as a lead-up to the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

2011 Inglis Premier - Mornington, 16 Feb 2011

Photo above: 2010 Inglis Premier winner Not A Pretender