Yes, it’s the $2m Inglis Millennium and the 2024 Classic Yearling Sale and as Inglis Bloodstock says this weekend embraces ‘The Horse You Dream About.’
And it’s the ‘dream’ training partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott who hit-off on Saturday with the $3.40 Ladbrokes race favourite Fully Lit on-line for the $2m Inglis Millennium.
Fresh from a powerful 3 length all-the-way victory over 1100m at Rosehill Gardens in his only race start, he’s drawn wide in the16 horse field and again will again be ridden by Regan Bayliss.
With Gai and Adrian having 11 two-year-old winners of 14 races this season, what price for a victory for Fully Lit in the Golden Slipper with Storm Boy at $3, Switzerland $7 and Lady of Camelot $11.
Not quite a rag-to-riches story, but Fully Lit was a $60,000 buy from Glenlogan Stud at the 2023 Classic Yearling Sale, with his half-sister selling at the Classic Sale, sired by first crop North Pacific.
By successful young sire Hellbent, he’s a half-brother Gr3 winner The Novelist from the winning Snitzel mare Sunlit, a half-sister to Vo Heart and family of Victoria Okas winner Magical Miss.
Second in-line for favouritism at $5 is Odinson in having the edge from Gate 4, and will be ridden by Irishman Dylan Browne McMonagle for Ciaron Maher and is coming off two Barrier Trials.
The winner of the Inglis Nursery of 1000m at Royal Randwick, and earlier third in the Maribyrnong Plate, he was a $320,000 buy for Cairon Maher at the 2023 Australia Easter Yearling Sale.
Consigned by Widden Stud, he’s by the successful 2000 Guineas winner Night of Thunder, from the Newmarket Gr3 winning Due Diligence mare Good Vibes, the family of Age of Chivalry.
Also at $5 is the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained Rue De Royale with Chad Schofield jumping from Gate 10, in being a $180,000 Classic Yearling by Per Incanto, the family of Astern, Alizee.
At $8.50 with betting sites is the $1.3m Snitzel colt Trunk for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and with Tim Clarke from Gate 5, $11 is Zestiman for Ben Melham in 12 while El Morzillo is $12 with Zac Lloyd in 7.
Selling on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the 11 to 13 February the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale at Riverside sees 808 yearlings being catalogued by 110 different sires and 79 vendors.
Of the catalogue 79%, or 638, of the yearlings are qualified or eligible for the VOBIS Silver, QTIS, Westspeed and Racing Rewards SA ‘that buyers are spoiled for choice at Riverside 2024.’
‘In the past 12 months the Classic graduates Pride of Jenni, Buenos Noches, Palaisipan, Opal Ridge and Beauty Eternal cost a total of $350,00 to buy – none over $100,00, and won $10.4 million.”
Again, there’s the success of Vinery Staud at these Classic Yearling Sales and already the popularity of their first-crop Champion 3YO Colt Ole Kirk in having a $1m graduate at the Magic Millions.
However, with Vinery consigning 36 yearlings at this Inglis Classic Sale it’s their 14 exceptional fillies that they are proud of including three by first-season Ole Kirk, who also has three colts.
First-up on Day 1 is a ¾ sister to city winner Botanica, and third foal of city winning Commands mare Amaryliss, a half- sister to stakes winner Fifteen Rounds, from $700,000 earner Sugar Bay.
Onto Day 3, it’s a filly first-foal from Gr3 placed winning Snitzel mare Philizzy, a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Sovereign Nation, being the family of Champion 3YO Filly in Princess Coup.
Next is a filly half-sister to two winners from the French winning Tapit mare Rosey De Geneve, herself a half-sister to stakes winner Real Value, the close family of Lope de Vaga, Lady Frankel.