Talented filly Global Goal scored a stunning debut win in today’s $200,000 Inglis Challenge on Wagga Gold Cup Day.
Trained by John Sargent, the 2YO Pinatubo (IRE) filly settled in the second half of the field for jockey Dylan Gibbons but proved too strong late, powering away for a dominant victory.
Dean Hawthorne purchased Global Goal on behalf of Jonathan Munz for $250,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Arrowfield Stud, who bred the filly with GSA Bloodstock.
Global Goal defeated Friendly Fire (Gary Portelli) and Portland Miss (Richard and Will Freedman).
Sargent was confident Global Goal would prove hard to beat today.
"I think she’s a Stakes filly in the making and I’ve thought that for a while now,’’ the trainer said.
"I told that to Jonathan [Munz] and Dean [Hawthorne] when they asked me recently what I thought of this filly so they went and bought the Maurice half sister (ex Tides) at Easter a few weeks ago and that’s looking like a good decision now.
"Global Goal will go to the paddock and I’ll set her for that Princess Series for the 3YO fillies in the spring which leads into the [G1] Flight Stakes.
"I think she’ll get a mile so we’ll aim for that series and see how she measures up.
"[Jockey] Dylan [Gibbons] galloped her Tuesday morning and was very confident she’d run a big race today.
"She got back a bit but settled well and they ran a quick time but I really liked the way she got home, that’s the sign of an above average 2YO.
"We targeted this race because of the money, the Inglis Race Series is great, I love it, Jonathan loves it, we all love it and it’s great to win a race like the Inglis Challenge with a serious filly like Global Goal," Sargent said.
Global Goal is the third winner from three foals to race from Tides, a metro winning full sister to triple Group I winner Shoals and stakes-winner Groundswell from the family of blue hen Shantha's Choice.
Prior to today’s race NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley was the guest judge for the Best Turned Out Award, which sees the strapper of a runner deemed the ‘pick of the yard’ in an Inglis Race Series event win a cash prize.
Wayne Parnell was today’s winner of $500 after Daley chose the Gary Portelli-trained Friendly Fire as the Best Turned Out runner.
