South Australian breeder Brenton Parker never thought he’d live to see the day he would breed and race a Gr1 winner – but that all changed when talented mare Benedetta (Hellbent) won the Goodwood Handicap at Morphettville on Saturday.
Benedetta wins the Goodwood Handicap at Morphetville (Pic – Inglis)
Parker and his wife Liz, who only have “a few mares’’, bred and sold three-time Gr1 winner Happy Trails as a yearling but on Saturday he lived the dream of owning a share in a horse they bred that won at the top level.
Trained by Jason Warren, Benedetta has been a model of consistency for Parker and connections, now a winner of eight of her 15 starts for A$1,740,225 in prizemoney, thanks partly to her win in last year’s A$750,000 Inglis Sprint at Flemington, her fourth consecutive victory at the time.
She has reached the ultimate summit for Parker, winning a ‘home’ Gr1 to make her one of the most valuable broodmare prospects in racing.
“She’s done herself proud, she deserved to win this,’’ an emotional Parker said.
“She got so close last time (when 0.4L 3rd in the Gr1 Sangster Stakes two weeks ago) and was so honest in the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket before that so this is just very exciting, we’re all pretty chuffed to be honest.
“It’s my first Gr1 as an owner/breeder, we bought the mare in foal to Starspangledbanner then sent her to Hellbent because we like to support the first season sires, which he was at the time, and now we’re here as Gr1 winners.
“The mare is back in foal to Hellbent too which is really exciting. I don’t keep a share in all of them but I do try to stay in the fillies if I can and I always thought this one was a nice horse.
“It’s really quite emotional. You never really think you’re going to breed a Gr1 winner and retain a share and enjoy it as an owner but we’ve been able to do it. It’s amazing really.’’
Parker sold Bendetta in the Mill Park Stud draft at the 2021 Premier Yearling Sale, where she was purchased by Laurence Eales for A$75,000.
A 5% share then sold on Inglis Digital last year for A$27,500 to Chris Wilson.
Bendetta will now look to build on her already impressive record during the Queensland Winter Carnival, where she will target the Gr1 Stradbroke Handicap next month, for which she is a A$21 chance with Ladbrokes.
Benedetta’s trainer Jason Warren described today’s win as “a big relief and so deserving’’.
“To get that Gr1 under the belt for her, that’s what we’ve wanted,’’ Warren said.
“I’m so pleased for the horse and the connections. It’s terrific.
“We’ll head to the Stradbroke now, I think it’s a nice target for her.’’
Benedetta becomes the 98th individual Inglis graduate to win a Gr1 since 2018 and continues a spectacular run for Inglis graduates over the Adelaide carnival following the success of Coco Sun (Gr1 Australasian Oaks) and Climbing Star (Gr1 Sangster Stakes) over the past few weeks.
She is one of 44 of those Gr1-winning graduates who could have been bought for A$100,000 or less.
Earlier on in the day’s Morphettville program Boognish (Sooboog) became the latest Inglis Digital black type winner when victorious in the Gr3 Proud Miss Stakes.
Boognish was offered by Element Hill as a weanling on the world’s leading online bloodstock sales platform, where she sold to Edinburgh Park for A$25,000.
Saturday’s win was her third from just 12 career starts – and first at Stakes level – and took her prizemoney levels to almost A$200,000.
At Newcastle today – a meeting transferred from Gosford due to inclement weather and state of the Gosford track – Inglis graduates won two of the features when Magnaspin (Magnus) proved too strong in the A$500,000 The Coast and Semillion (Shalaa) victorious in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes.
Magnaspin led in a trifecta of Inglis graduates when defeating Williamsburg and Iknowastar in The Coast.
Bred by Jim and June Anderson, Magnaspin was offered by Luke and Mags Anderson of Maluka Thoroughbreds at the Premier Yearling Sale, where Nathan Bennett purchased him for just A$60,000.
This win took his earnings past the A$700,000 mark.
Magnaspin was initially offered at the Great Southern Sale by Moorookyle Park.
Semillion produced a fabulous display of speed up front to win the Takeover Target, leading from barrier to post.
Just like Benedetta, the Team Hawkes-trained Semillion is a former Inglis Race Series event winner, having debuted with victory in the A$500,000 Inglis Banner as a 2YO.
Mark Player of International Thoroughbred Solutions purchased Semillion for A$300,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Blue Gum Farm.
The Robert Crabtree-bred Semillion has now won almost A$750,000.
And on the Sunshine Coast, the Brisbane Winter Carnival continued with Thalassophile (Not A Single Doubt) winning the Listed Silk Stocking.
Trained by Chris Waller, Thalassophile defied a heavy impost of 60kg on the Heavy 10 track to show her class and score a dominant win, the sixth of her career.
The Go Bloodstock-bred-and-raced 5YO is a graduate of the Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Newgate Farm.This was a second Stakes win for Thalassophile, who will no doubt join Sir Owen Glenn’s broodmare band upon retirement.
- www.inglis.au.com
