The $2million Inglis Millennium (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday for two year-old graduates of Inglis sales has drawn a full field of 16 plus one emergency with race favourite and Inglis Classic graduate Sejardan drawing barrier nine.
A $160,000 Inglis Classic purchase last year from the draft of Middlebrook Valley Lodge for his trainer Gary Portelli, Sejardan won the Group III ATC Breeders Plate and $1million Golden Gift during the spring so has the runs on the board.
Verna Metcalfe and her team at Middlebrook Valley Lodge will no doubt be cheering him on although they will have their hands full at Riverside Stables with a big draft of 17 for this year’s sale and you can see them here.
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will be hoping Street Boss (USA) colt El Padrino can do the big Inglis 2YO double after taking out the $400,000 Inglis Nursery on December 11 beating Calgary Stampede, Athletica and Boldinho, who are all set for a rematch in the Millennium.
Flashiest horse in the field will be Annabel Neasham’s Deep Field colt Sweet Ride, who was an easy winner on debut at Rosehill on January 15 and has the pace to take advantage of gate two.
Most expensive runner is the Chris Waller trained I Am Invincible colt Zambezi River, who was second in the Breeders Plate and scratched from the Canonbury Stakes last Saturday in favour of this assignment.
A $1,150,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Yarraman Park draft for an interesting partnership of James Harron and Tom Magnier, Zambezi River has had two recent trials to have him fit for his return and was only beaten a length by Sejardan at their only meeting.
Peter and Paul Snowden have secured James McDonald to ride talented Pierro filly Paris Dior, who has raced twice for a second on debut and then an emphatic three length win at Canterbury on January 7.
She was passed in at Inglis Easter shy of her $300,000 reserve and retained to race, but there is sure to be plenty of interest in her full sister to be offered at Inglis Classic by Marquee Stud as Lot 533.
INGLIS MILLENNIUM FINAL FIELD – (Number-Horse-Sire Trainer- Barrier-Weight)
1 SEJARDAN Sebring Gary Portelli 9 56.5kg
2 EL PADRINO Street Boss (USA) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 8 56.5kg
3 CALGARY STAMPEDE Snitzel Peter & Paul Snowden 5 56.5kg
4 SWEET RIDE Deep Field Annabel Neasham 2 56.5kg
5 ATHLETICA Exceed and Excel Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 11 56.5kg
6 BOLDINHO Brazen Beau Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 4 56.5kg
7 POMADE Star Turn Kris Lees 14 56.5kg
8 ZAMBEZI RIVER I Am Invincible Chris Waller 12 56.5kg
9 EMPEROR I Am Invincible Matthew Dunn 6 56.5kg
10 THE WIZARD KING Flying Artie Shawn Mathrick 3 56.5kg
11 FIRE AND ICE Hellbent Mark Minervini 16 56.5kg
12 VADERZAN Invader Gary Portelli 1 56.5kg
13 RUSSIAN ASSASSIN Russian Revolution Lauri Parker 17 56.5kg
14 PARIS DIOR Pierro Peter & Paul Snowden 10 54.5kg
15 XTRAVAGANT STAR Xtravagant Tony & Calvin McEvoy 7 54.5kg
16 THE SEVEN SEAS Merchant Navy John Sargent 15 54.5kg
17e NIPOTINO Snitzel John Thompson Brock Ryan 13 56.5kg
