Astute trainer Bjorn Baker has had a good bit of luck with tried horses purchased through Inglis Digital and we can add ex-Godolphin stayer Alegron to the list after he powered home to win the $400,000 Group II BRC Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
A five year-old gelding by top class sire Teofilo (IRE), Alegron won at Group III level for James Cummings and was also placed in both the Group I VRC Victoria and ATC Australian Derbies, but he when his form tapered off Godolphin offered him on Inglis Digital last November.
Alegron was having his fourth start for his new trainer in the Brisbane Cup and after showing a glimmer of his old form last start when second in the Group III BRC Premier’s Cup at 2400m, the seasoned stayer returned to his best.
Ridden by Dylan Gibbons, Alegron sailed home down the outside to win by a length and a half running away taking his overall record to four wins and five placings from 28 starts with prizemoney in excess of $1.3million.
"He's been a fantastic horse since Bjorn bought him relatively inexpensively. He's had a really good prep and his run the other day put the writing on the wall,” said stable representative Jim Clark.
"They were very confident he'd be strong at the end of two miles. They ran along nicely and it was a really cool ride from Dylan. Great result.
"Each run he has kept improving physically. I thought he looked a million dollars today. Stepping up to the two miles is the key."
With a Brisbane Cup now on his resume, Alegron may well be now aimed at the Melbourne Cup later in the year.
"I'm sure that is the ultimate aim. It'd be a great story - an online purchase and one that could get to a Melbourne Cup after a wind operation,” Clark said.
“Bjorn has had very good luck with that."
Alegron is the first winner for Group II placed Medaglia D’Oro (USA) mare Alegria, a daughter of Group III winner Pure Joy and half-sister to the dam of this season’s Group II winning filly Stretan Angel.
Alegria has a yearling colt by Ghaiyyath (IRE) and is back in foal to him again.
