Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) – the “best filly at the Premier Sale this year’’ – scored a decisive debut all-the-way win in today’s Listed Inglis Banner at The Valley.
A $270,000 buy for the Lindsay Park team of Ben and JD Hayes – prior to Will officially joining the team - at Oaklands earlier this year, Bold Bastille showed early speed and significant tenacity to secure a comfortable victory in the 2YO feature.
The result was huge for the Hayes stable, whose other runner in the race, Blue Allure (Blue Point), was the first Inglis Pink Bonus horse to finish the race (in 5th position), earning her connections a $200,000 bonus.
It’s the second consecutive year that Lindsay Park have won the Banner and Pink Bonus double, thanks to Arkansaw Kid’s success in the race last year (he won the race and was Pink Bonus eligible).
The Hayes’ teamed up with Mathew Becker of Group 1 Bloodstock to buy Bold Bastille at the Premier Sale in March, where she was offered by Blue Gum Farm.
The filly was bred by Des Pope and is a three quarter sister to Ideas Man, who like Bold Bastille, won the Banner on debut, in 2019 and was bred by Pope.
Ben Hayes described today’s victory as “extremely impressive’’.
“Did we expect her to come out and win that easily? I mean you never really know with 2YOs, everyone knows that, but we knew she was doing some great things back home and we did come here today relatively confident she would run a big race and be hard to beat,’’ he said.
“I remember her specifically at the Premier Sale and she was the best filly there at Oaklands for us this year, we had to really stretch to get her at $270,000 and that’s not usually something we do but we just really wanted her.
“So while we stretched at the time, she’s won that back today and more because the prizemoney on offer in the Inglis Race Series is just so good, it’s a big result for Ozzie Kheir and John O’Neill and Des Pope and the ownership group.’’
Becker added: “She’s actually the first yearling we’ve bought with the Hayes boys so what a bloody good start to the relationship!
“To their credit, they gave the filly a private jump out at Lindsay Park a few months ago and told us from that day that they were targeting the Inglis Banner with her, that she was early and talented and they were spot on.
“She was really impressive today, she didn’t just win, she put a space on them so it was really exciting to see.’’
Bold Bastille scored a convincing three-length win in today’s $500,000 Banner, defeating Hayasugi (Royal Meeting) and Chosen Legend (Extreme Choice).
The Hayes’ also won a pair of Swarovski Optik binoculars for training the winner of an Inglis Race Series race.
Six of the 13 runners in today’s race were Pink Bonus eligible with Blue Allure winning the $200,000 bonus by being the first of those six home.
She is part owned by Grace Ramage of the Lindsay Park Ladies – who also raced Arkansaw Kid last year – as well as a syndicate of ‘Inglis Pink Ladies’ among others.
“What an amazing thrill, this is the best 5th I’ve ever come,’’ a thrilled Ramage said.
“You saw us at the Premier Sale this year, we had an Inglis Pink Bonus morning and had all the ladies out to Oaklands on the Sunday and we really targeted this awesome initiative so to watch the race with the ladies and see our girl stick her head out to be the first Pink Bonus horse home and win the $200,000 was just amazing.’’
At $1m, the Inglis Pink Bonus is the most lucrative ‘Ladies Bonus’ offered anywhere in the world.
The Inglis Pink Bonus is active in four races in the Inglis Race Series – the Inglis Banner ($200,000), Inglis Nursery ($200,000), Inglis Millennium ($400,000) and Inglis Sprint ($200,000).
You do not need to win the race to win the Pink Bonus - the first eligible Pink Bonus runner to cross the finish line will win the bonus.
To be eligible, a horse must have minimum 75% female ownership and must be fully paid up to the $12.55m Inglis Race Series.
The Inglis Race Series for 2023 graduates heads to Randwick next for the $500,000 Inglis Nursery, which is also a Pink Bonus race, on December 9.
Prior to that is the Inglis Bracelet at Flemington on Oaks Day, which is an open fillies and mares event over 1600m.
