A pair of exciting 3YO fillies – Boogie Dancer (Sooboog) and Zougotcha (Zoustar) – have put Spring rivals on high alert with impressive G2 victories on an action-packed day in Sydney and Melbourne, also featuring wins by fellow Inglis graduates Nature Strip and Callsign Mav.
At Caulfield, Boogie Dancer became Kitchwin Stud’s Sooboog’s first Stakes winner in the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield.
Boogie Dancer, a daughter of Quest For Fame mare Search For Fame, was bred and offered at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale by Ruston Park, with trainer Peter Moody combining with Dalziel Bloodstock to purchase the filly for $50,000.
Today’s win was her fourth in five starts, with an ecstatic David Johnson of Rushton Park trackside to witness the 3.25L win – with the filly now bound for the G1 Thousand Guineas on October 12.
“I’m absolutely rapt to be honest, it’s unbelievably exciting,” Johnson said.
“My wife Kayley did the mating, she thought Sooboog would suit her on paper and now Boogie Dancer is his first Group winner.
“We retained some of her when we sold her which was great, she was a lovely foal and I know Will Stott (Inglis Bloodstock Consultant) and the Inglis team absolutely loved her when they inspected her at the farm.
“I thought she’d run really well today but when the rain came – well she just has wet feet winning three in heavy going already – and so we were really confident and didn’t think anything would get near her.
“Peter Moody also inspected her on the farm pre-sale and at Oaklands he didn’t look at another horse of ours except her.
“I couldn’t get to him quick enough when the hammer came down, to say we’d keep some of her.
“She’s from the Eight Carat family and she’s a very valuable filly now.”
Zougotcha showed her fighting qualities to win her second leg of the Princess Series in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and looks a formidable chance in the G1 Flight Stakes on October 1.
Zougotcha, out of Fastnet Rock mare Fast Talker, was a $500,000 buy for Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, offered by Antony Thompson’s Widden Stud.
“We bred Zougotcha with good friend and long time client Rob Anderson and we retained a small share in her as well,” Thompson said.
“She’s now won two legs of the Princess Series and Zoustar has sired all three legs so far with Northstar Lass winning the Furious.
“We’re so pleased to be able to race her with Chris [Waller] and friends like Noel Greenhalgh who we also raced Madam Rouge with."
Fast Talker – herself a $280,000 buy from the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, was covered by Written Tycoon last season and will go back to Zoustar this Spring.
“She’s obviously a mare we had no luck with early, she had a nasty foaling and got off to a slow start,” Thompson said.
“But we stuck to our guns with her and she’s produced three Stakes winners now, following The Actuary (Sebring) and Persuader (Zoustar) and we’re fortunate to have The Actuary in foal to Zoustar."
Widden Stud stallions celebrated a Stakes double on the Randwick card with the evergreen Nature Strip (Nicconi) returning from his Royal Ascot triumph with a simply dominant in the G2 Shorts, turning the tables on old foe Eduardo.
“He just keeps getting better doesn’t he?” Thompson said.
“It’s a fantastic team effort from Chris [Waller] and his team each season, we just love watching him race!”
Nature Strip led home an Inglis trifecta, defeating Overpass (Inglis Easter) and Lost And Running (Inglis Premier).
While Lost And Running already has an Everest berth, Overpass’ eye-catching second ensures he is a must-pick for slot holders, with just four weeks remaining until the $15 million race on October 15.
In the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Inglis Digital graduate – and three-time G1 winner in New Zealand, Callsign Mav (Atlante) broke through for his first Australian G1 and a career first for jockey Jamie Mott.
A 36% share in Callsign Mav was offered in the Inglis Digital October (Early) Online Sale and purchased by Nelson Thoroughbreds for $85,000.
The 6YO gelding has since won two G1 races in New Zealand and contested a W.S. Cox Plate.
