Karaka Graduates Primed for Saturday

Media Release - Friday September 2

Inspirational Girl will commence her spring preparation in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday.

The Reliable Man mare’s preparation was hindered by a virus a few weeks ago, but owner Bob Peters said she has fully recovered, but warned that his mare will need the run.

Inspirational Girl winning the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m). Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

"She's back on track but I would think, like most of them, she might need the run," Peters told Racing.com.

Inspirational Girl has had a decorated career on the track to date, winning 10 of her 17 starts, including Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m), Gr.3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m), and defeating Zaaki in the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in autumn.

Peters, who through bloodstock agent John Chalmers purchased Inspirational Girl out of Jamieson Park’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale for $190,000, is eyeing a path towards the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) with his mare.

"We've always thought she could get over some ground and we'll give her a chance this spring,” he said.

“I haven't had the greatest of luck in the Caulfield Cup, but that's where she could end up if she looks as though she'll stay.”

Another Kiwi-bred set to resume at The Valley on Saturday is Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) hero Johnny Get Angry.

Since winning the Classic, owner-trainer Dennis Pagan has had a torrid time with the horse, having just five starts in an injury plagued two year period.

Advertisement

He was last sighted at the races in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) last year and Pagan is looking forward to resuming the gelding’s career over a mile this weekend.

"It's just been an absolute nightmare since he won the Derby, things have gone wrong," Pagan told Racing.com.

"He's had throat surgery, he's had a broken rib - that we didn't know about - he's been sore in three or four other spots.

"He had a very good trial four weeks ago at Werribee, I thought 'He's going well this horse', then he had a bacterial virus.

"His bloods are very good, we have to kick off somewhere, so he'll run Saturday and I've got my fingers crossed everything's ok with him.

"He's very happy, and he's sound, his blood's good, he's eating well again, he's very alert - I took him to The Valley on Tuesday morning just to have a look around, he wasn't extended or anything.

"We'll ride him quietly and hopefully he shows that he still wants to be a racehorse."

Pagan purchased Johnny Get Angry out of Bradbury Park’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $50,000. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Aga Khan Homebred 3YO Colt - 2025 Arc de Triomphe Winner
The Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) was run overnight at Longchamp and one of the world’s great races produced a thriller with blueblood €1.85 millionsale-topping Frankel filly Minnie Hauk going down by a head to the Aga Khan homebred Sea the Stars colt Daryz.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
National Thoroughbred Week invites support through GoFundMe campaign
National Thoroughbred Week (NTW) is calling on the thoroughbred community and broader public to be part of history, with the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to help bring this inaugural celebration to life.
OTI Racing officially enters New Zealand market
OTI Racing is officially going trans-Tasman, with the Australian syndicator becoming a licensed New Zealand syndicator this week.
Gimcrack Winner Bred By Cornerstone
THE "BACKSLAPPING" in the backwaters of the Barossa on Saturday afternoon, paled into insignificance when compared to the celebrations of the connections of SHIKI that won on debut!
Everest Runner/New G1 Horse for Hellbent as Invincible Legacy Surges
Hellbent has made a solid start to the new season with 25 winners racking up over $2million in earnings and he will have a runner in the $20million The Everest in two weeks time with Magic Time confirmed for the Inglis slot, while at Randwick last Saturday he added another G1 performer to his tally.
Sword of State 2YO Ready for Debut
A pair of promising youngsters are set to make their debut for Cambridge trainer Chad Ormsby at Avondale on Wednesday, but track conditions may scupper plans for one of them.
Briasa Boost as More Youngsters Impress on HIT Sale Eve
The timing couldn’t be better for a sale page's pedigree boost, with Briasa announcing himself as one of Australia’s most exciting sprinters following his dominant victory in Saturday’s $1 million Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
MM Gold Coast Horses In Training Sale Links
Tuesday saw the final breeze ups at the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Horses In Training Sale which starts on Thursday so here’s our links to useful data including the pinhook report, with most lots having been sold previously.