Able Friend was simply dominant running away with the Queens’ Silver Jubilee Cup by over two lengths without jockey Joao Moreira having to use the whip.
Anybody that has ever bred a Group I winner knows how special it is. The joy and sense of achievement that comes from breeding a Group I winner is something that Bylong Park Thoroughbreds owner Richard Johnston has achieved twice previously with star Fastnet Rock fillies Mosheen and Driefontein, but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm when watching the Hong Kong Derby HK Gr 1 at Sha Tin on Sunday evening.
Australian bred and Inglis sold graduates Able Friend and Luger blew away their opposition at Sha Tin on Sunday winning the day’s two feature races, the Queens’ Silver Jubilee Cup and Hong Kong Derby.
The Inglis Autumn Thoroughbred Sale at Inglis’ Newmarket complex today achieved 100 per cent clearance rate, selling all 53 Lots that were offered through the ring. This is up on last year’s already impressive 97 per cent clearance rate.
Three year-old I Am Invincible gelding Voodoo Lad firmed into equal favouritism for the upcoming Country Championship Final at Randwick next month with a dominant length and a half win in the $100,000 Qualifier Heat at Tamworth on Thursday.
Rom Baro, the impressive winner of the $120,000 Canberra Guineas (1400m) on Sunday, joins the long list of good performers acquired at modest prices through the Inglis conducted Hunter Valley Breeders Scone Yearling Sale, one which is held mid May each year.
The $19.4million The Championships at Royal Randwick on 4 and 11 April has expanded this year to include the inaugural Country and Provincial Championship Series.
The opening race at Randwick on Wednesday was won by nicely bred Shamardal (USA) filly Kind Heart, a $160,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Astute Bloodstock from the draft of Torryburn Stud.
The catalogue for the 2015 Inglis Autumn Thoroughbred Sale is now online with 20 broodmares, 33 racehorses, ten yearlings and weanlings and two stallions to be offered for sale at Inglis’ Newmarket complex this Friday 13th March from 11:00am.
She was the most expensive filly from the first crop of ill-fated Northern Meteor and she won her first stakes race at Morphettville on Monday making her big team of owners including Vinery Stud and associated partners very happy.
Sure And Fast, trained at Kembla Grange by Bede Murray, qualified for the $300,000 Provincial Championship Final (1400m) when he won the first heat over 1350 metres at Wyong on March 5 beating the Kris Lees-trained Selectify.
Seasoned stayer Tanby hadn’t won a race since the Group II MRC Zipping Classic in 2012, but the eight year-old son of Galileo (IRE) was the Tanby of old at Morphettville on Monday, surging late to snatch victory in the Group II SAJC Adelaide Cup.
Entries close this Friday 13 March for Australia’s first major breeding stock sale of 2015, the Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale in Sydney.