Nine Years Old - 11 Stakes Wins

Craig Tompson - Friday Dec 27

He’s from Dundeel’s first crop and still going so strong at nine years-old that he’s just won his 11th stakes race.

That’d be the John Keys trained The Inevitable, who went to the post a raging $1.45 favourite for the Listed Kevin Sharkie Tasmanian Stakes (1600m) at Hobart and overcame some mid race bother to score by a margin a little narrower than the supporters would have liked.

The Inevitable

Craig Newitt rode smart from an inside gate, letting the race unfold ahead of him but a couple of headstrong types that should have known better managed to get him awkwardly placed mid race and shuffled back.

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Once into the straight however, with leaders and winning post in focus, he did what a horse that’s won 17 previous races does, which is get the job done.

Narrowly but really not in doubt over the final surge.

Bred by South Australia’s Tori Park Stud, he was originally a $90,000 buy from Cornerstone Stud at the Magic Million Adelaide Yearling Sale and was the lone Dundeel in the catalogue.

He w

on his first stakes race as a three-year-old in the Tasmanian Guineas (LR) then came immediately to the mainland to get the CS Hayes Stakes (G3).

In the subsequent course of his career he’s so far totaled 11 stakes wins among 18 in total from 42 starts and over $2.1million in prizemoney.

The Inevitable is the last of 15 foals to race out of King’s High mare Gift Bouquet, who left 10 winners in total including three stakes winners, the others being Blahnik (Jeune) and Elysees  (Statue Of Liberty). She died in 2018.

He’s one of four Australian stakes winners for Arrowfield’s Dundeel among 71 in total so far this season.

If you’re looking for some more potential tough nuts from the family, there’s two catalogued in 2025:

Lot 745, a filly by Maurice with Arrowfield Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast.

And Lot 15, a filly by Quick Thinker with Motree Thoroughbreds at Magic Millions Tasmania.

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Race Result - Kevin Sharkie Tasmanian Stakes LR 1600m

Hobart Track: Good(4) Time: 1:41.06
1
The Inevitable
- 9g Dundeel (NZ) x Gift Bouquet (AUS) (King's High (AUS))
Tnr: J L Keys Rdr: C Newitt 59
2
0.3
Thespian Waters
- 4g Headwater (AUS) x Theatre Fan (USA) (Theatrical (IRE))
Tnr: Sigrid Carr Rdr: T Baker 59
Headwater
3
0.4
First Accused
- 7g Turffontein (AUS) x Keep On Talking (USA) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: G J Stevenson Rdr: K Sanderson 59
4
1.3
Cartoon Graveyard
- 5g Turffontein (AUS) x Star Hit (AUS) (Euclase (AUS))
Tnr: J L Keys Rdr: Jackson Radley 59
5
3.1
Kaliuwaa Falls
- 6g Sacred Falls (NZ) x Promenade (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Imogen Miller Rdr: B Muhcu 59
6
3.8
Indispensable
- 8g Akeed Mofeed (GB) x Essence (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: J K Blacker Rdr: D Pires 59
7
5.1
Island Warrior
- 4m Frosted (USA) x Hissy Miss (AUS) (Golden Snake (USA))
Tnr: J K Blacker Rdr: Hayley Mc Carthy 57
8
5.8
Zoltan
- 7g Iffraaj (GB) x Ebony Babe (NZ) (Ebony Grosve (NZ))
Tnr: S L Davis Rdr: Ms K Boxall 59
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