The global online sales platform Inglis Digital enjoyed a landmark moment on Saturday as two of its graduates captured prestigious Group 1 victories on the same afternoon, underlining the growing influence of the marketplace on elite thoroughbred racing.
At Flemington, the Bjorn Baker-trained Caballus, racing in the colours of Darby Racing, produced a front-running masterclass to land the Newmarket Handicap. Hours later at Randwick, the exciting filly Sheza Alibi delivered a stirring performance against male rivals to claim the Randwick Guineas, further enhancing her reputation as one of Australia’s most promising young horses.
Scott Darby and his team made a bold decision in 2023 when they stretched to $315,000 to secure Caballus through Inglis Digital’s October (Early) Online Sale, a significant investment at the time. The decision has since been richly rewarded. The five-year-old has now raced 15 times for six victories and more than $2.1 million in prize earnings.
Originally purchased for $1 million by Coolmore from Bhima at the Easter Yearling Sale on behalf of breeder Reg Ryan, Caballus later found his way onto the Inglis Digital platform before beginning the successful chapter that culminated in Saturday’s triumph. His Newmarket victory was particularly notable as he led home a quartet of Inglis graduates, finishing ahead of Gallant Son, Angel Capital and Sepals.
Darby revealed that he always believed Caballus had the ability to reach the highest level.
“It was a lot of money for us at the time, but he had come through a race where we had a runner we rated highly, so we were comfortable going strongly for him,” Darby said. “When he appeared in the sale, we moved quickly.
“It’s unbelievable really — he’s won the Newmarket. He’s been a wonderful horse for our team. Things didn’t always go smoothly along the way, but Bjorn has done a terrific job getting him back on track and now he’s a Group 1 winner.”
Breeder Reg Ryan also savoured the moment from his farm in Wodonga. Ryan had purchased the mare Calming Influence for $290,000 at the 2020 Inglis Chairman’s Sale while she was carrying Caballus.
“I always wanted a Group 1 winner and now I’ve got one,” Ryan said. “Watching the race from home was a special feeling. Gelding him made a big difference and Bjorn has done a great job with him.”
Meanwhile, attention quickly shifted to Randwick where the talented three-year-old Sheza Alibi confirmed her growing stature with a commanding victory in the Randwick Guineas.
The filly began her racing journey in Queensland before relocating to Victoria and arrived in Sydney with a strong record of eight starts for five wins, two seconds and a third. The challenge of meeting colts and geldings held little concern as she swept past her rivals in decisive fashion.
Purchased as a weanling for just $10,000 in June 2023, Sheza Alibi has now finished in the top three in all nine career starts and accumulated more than $1.27 million in prize earnings.
Co-trainer Katherine Coleman was present at Randwick to witness the performance and described the filly as exceptional.
“She’s just something special,” Coleman said. “She had shown plenty before, but this was her toughest test and to win like that against such a quality field was remarkable.
“She has that extra class and she deserved her chance at this level. We couldn’t be happier with how she performed.”
The filly is now likely to enjoy a break before being aimed at major spring targets, including the rich Golden Eagle later in the year.
Inglis Digital Graduates Continue to Shine
With the victories of Caballus and Sheza Alibi, Inglis Digital celebrated its 116th and 117th Group 1 winners since 2018, a statistic that highlights the platform’s growing impact on the international bloodstock scene.
Inglis Digital Business Manager Nick Melmeth said the success reflected the breadth of opportunities the platform continues to provide to owners, breeders and trainers.
“We follow our graduates closely and knew both Caballus and Sheza Alibi would be competitive in their races, but to see them win the way they did was fantastic,” Melmeth said.
“There are great results emerging every weekend. From Group 1 winners to stakes performers and rising talents around the world, it’s encouraging to see how many success stories are coming through the platform.”
The next opportunity for buyers arrives with the March (Early) Online Sale, which features a catalogue of 288 lots and is set to open for bidding later this week.
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