The first two races at Warwick Farm on Wednesday were both won by three year-old fillies, whose dams were household names.
A $700,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Elsdon Park draft for John Singleton, I Am Invincible filly Erin Jo was sent off favourite for the $100,000 Super Maiden over 1400m at her third race start.
Trained by Kris Lees as was her champion mum Lucia Valentina, Erin Jo has had the benefit of recent racing and was strong late on the inside to snatch a narrow win for Chad Schofield.
Erin Jo is a half-sister to G1 placed Luella Cristina and is the second winner from four foals to race from Savabeel’s triple Group I winner Lucia Valentina, who died in 2024.
Her last foal is a colt by Per Incanto (USA) that sold for $550,000 at Inglis Easter last year to Parnham Racing / Ridgeport and has been named Lucanto.
Gorgeous grey Dubawi (GB) mare Catkins was a great favourite in the Chris Waller stable winning no fewer than eight Group races among her 16 wins with multiple G1 placings and over $2million in prizemoney.
She ran in the brilliant cerise colours of the Ingham family, who have raced all her offspring to date and the Chris Waller trained Nandina is the latest to salute.
A three year-old filly by So You Think, Nandina was easy in the market for her debut after six previous trials, but the good education paid off when she was able to enjoy a cosy run on the fence before working into the clear to challenge.
When popped the question by Kerrin McEvoy, Nandina gave a good response and was doing her best work on the line to beat the race favourite by a long neck in the 1200m maiden.
“Obviously she’s well bred and we’ve taken our time with her,” said Chris Waller.
“Her mum (Catkins) was a bit similar, she had her first start at Kembla from memory and won on debut and kept going from there and while they are big shoes to fill, she is on her way.”
Foaled and raised at Coolmore for the Ingham family, Nandina is the fourth winner from five foals to race from Catkins, who had a colt foal by Tassort last spring before going to speedy grey stallion Vandeek (GB).
Catkins was purchased by Ingham Racing at Magic Millions from the Amarina Farm as a yearling all the way back in 2011 for $85,000 and what an outstanding purchase she proved to be!
