The Golden Slipper picture became somewhat clearer today following impressive Stakes victories by two Inglis-sold 2YOs.
Inglis Millennium 3rd placegetter Sejardan (Sebring) surged into an $8 second favourite with TAB for the Slipper following a last-to-first win in the G2 Todman Stakes at Randwick.
And brilliant debutant Millane (Zoustar) took a giant leap towards qualifying for the G1 Rosehill feature in a fortnight with a dominant win down the Flemington straight in the Listed Australian Childhood Foundation Plate.
For Sejardan, today’s win took his career earnings crashing through the $1m barrier – he has now won three of his four starts and could arguably be undefeated after a luckless run in the Millennium.
Trainer Gary Portelli bought the Dale Miller-bred Sejardan (pictured) for $160,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale from the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft – the 2YO has now won $1,030,000.
The trainer is aiming for his second Slipper in five years following the success of fellow Classic Sale graduate She Will Reign in 2017.
“It feels a bit déjà vu with She Will Reign, I mean when you’ve got one of the best 2YOs you can do different things with those horses,’’ Portelli said.
“Like her, this bloke is just different, he can do things others can’t.
“If he drew a gate in the Inglis Millennium he would have been more competitive, he just had a shocking run that day and did a great job to run third as he did.
“It’s going to be the longest two weeks in history. He knows where the winning post is this horse so look out in two weeks’ time.’’
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At Flemington, 2YO debutants don't win much better than Easter Sale star Millane (Zoustar), who toyed with his rivals in today's Listed Australian Childhood Foundation Plate.
There was ample expectation on the colt, given his expensive price tag at last year’s renewal of the Easter Sale but he didn’t disappoint, scoring a comprehensive debut win.
His trainer Peter Moody teamed up with the Rosemont Stud Victorian Alliance, Suman Hedge and David Redvers to purchase the colt from the Segenhoe Stud draft for $1.15m.
Whether he pushes onto the Slipper – for which he firmed from $201 into $34 with TAB off the back of today’s result - in a fortnight is a decision for others, says Millane’s breeder and part-owner John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds.
“That’s up to Peter. He’s a smart fellow, I don’t get involved in that, he’ll know what to do with him from here,’’ Camilleri said.
“He was always a lovely colt and just got better and better as he prepped for Easter and he was very popular at Riverside.
“Annabel Neasham was under bidder, she absolutely loved him as plenty of others did and it’s nice to come out and see what he did today, especially his last 50m, that was probably the most impressive part of it all for me.’’
Segenhoe will offer an I Am Invincible half brother of Millane (ex Fireworks) as lot 169 at next month’s Easter Sale at Riverside, of which Segenhoe’s Peter O’Brien said: “Millane was a prince amongst men as a yearling but his half brother by Vinnie for Easter is simply a king.’’
Also at Flemington today, Malkovich gave Darby Racing and trainer Bjorn Baker a big day at Victorian Headquarters with a deserved first Stakes win in the Listed Bob Hoysted Hcp.
Malkovich’s success came soon after Darby and Baker combined to win the $750,000 Inglis Sprint with talented 3YO Overpass.
Malkovich, a 4YO entire, took his career earnings to more than $680,000 with today’s win – he’s a $240,000 Ready2Race Sale buy for Darby Racing from the Woodpark Stud draft, having initially been an $85,000 Classic Sale graduate from Ascot Park.
“It’s been a fabulous day, I might even celebrate a little tonight,’’ Baker said.
“Malkovich, obviously an Inglis Ready2Race graduate, just keeps running outstanding races. He was so brave in the Group 1 [Oakleigh Plate] last weekend and we decided to back him up and he just doesn’t know how to run a bad race.’’
Earlier at Randwick, Mazu announced himself a potential top-liner with another black type success in the Listed Fireball Stakes.
The win keeps the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained 3YO undefeated this preparation and gives him three consecutive wins, following his success in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes at the end of last preparation.
“He was a standout for us at Classic, we paid $180,000 for him which we rarely do, that’s a really high price for us to pay for a yearling but I guess it showed what we really thought of him,’’ Triple Crown’s Chris Ward said of Mazu, who he and brother Michael bought from the Parsons Creek draft.
“We didn’t want to geld him at the end of last prep, I mean I don’t think anybody wants to geld a colt straight after they’ve won a Stakes race but we knew it was the best thing for the horse moving forward and he’s really starting to vindicate all of that now.’’
Mazu, who was bred by his sellers Parsons Creek, has now won 4 of his 8 starts for $350,000 in earnings.
And 6YO mare Le Lude (Lope de Vega) proved too strong in the G3 Aspiration Quality, her first Stakes success.
Trainer John Thompson – who bought Le Lude for $70,000 from Riversdale’s draft at the Classic Yearling Sale – has always held the horse in high regard, with 10 of her past 11 starts being in Stakes grade.
And today she got a deserved black type breakthrough, with the prospect of more success imminent.
Meanwhile in New Zealand, G1 winner On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau) won his fourth Stakes race at just his 10th start when victorious in the Listed Mufhasa Stakes at Ellerslie on NZ Derby Day.
The 3YO has proven an exceptional investment for his original buyers Bevan Smith and Ben Kwok, who teamed up at the Great Southern Weanling Sale of 2019 to buy him for $60,000 from the draft of his breeder Burnewang North.
In his 10 starts On The Bubbles has won six races and finished second a further three times.
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