Canberra-based trainer Todd Smart’s strategic approach to the yearling sales has paid off handsomely with his two-year-old colt, Cashbook, delivering a standout performance in the Inglis Challenge on Scone Cup Day. The young galloper surged to victory in the $200,000 feature, cementing his place as one of the meeting’s most impressive winners.
Smart had set his sights on this exact race a year ago when he purchased the colt at the HTBA Yearling Sale. Acquired for $28,000 in partnership with Peter Twomey of Wattle Bloodstock, Cashbook was sourced from the Widden Stud draft. The colt, a son of Flying Artie and bred by Julia Ritchie’s Bangaloe Stud Syndicate, has already proven a lucrative investment, having earned nearly four times his purchase price with this win alone.
This latest success marks the second Inglis Challenge win in three years for Smart, who also took home the prize in 2023 with Love Shuck. His continued success in this race underscores his talent for spotting potential and targeting specific races with great effectiveness.
After the race, an elated Smart expressed the joy that the win brought to the ownership group, noting that the moment felt almost as significant as winning one of Australia’s premier races. The Inglis Race Series, he said, offers invaluable opportunities to trainers and owners alike, especially those working outside the larger metropolitan circuits.
Cashbook’s performance also reaffirmed the confidence Smart and Twomey had in the colt from the outset. Their belief in his ability was evident, and the win only strengthened their enthusiasm for targeting similar feature events in the future.
Away from the main race, the Inglis Challenge also celebrated excellence in presentation. So Rebellious, trained by Gary Portelli, was named Best Turned Out before the event, with strapper Sam Chaudhary receiving a $500 gift card for the effort.
Elsewhere on the day, the Listed Scone Cup delivered a memorable finish with Tavi Time taking top honours. The Tavistock gelding, trained by Kris Lees and purchased for $130,000 at the 2021 Inglis Ready2Race Sale, defeated Strait Acer to complete a quinella for Inglis graduates. With this result, Tavi Time added another stakes win to his record and pushed his career earnings past the $800,000 mark.
The Scone Cup Day once again highlighted the strength of Inglis sales graduates, delivering excitement on the track and rewarding those who invest in developing young talent.
