Are You Ready 2 Race a Justify?

Tara Madgwick - Monday October 9

The Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale last year has produced some promising types and right up with the best is exciting Justify (USA) gelding Verdad, who heads to the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas this Saturday following a gallant second in the Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes at his second start.

Verdad was a $150,000 Inglis Ready 2 Race purchase last year and runs in the Cauflield Guineas this Saturday - image Racing Photos

Trained by the Griffiths De Kock partnership, Verdad bolted in on debut at Bendigo last month before his Stutt Stakes performance and his trainers are keen to test him further against the elite.

“He’s only had two starts. It’s a bit hard to get a gauge of his ability. We think a lot of him; it's hard to quantify the rate of improvement in him. We’ll know after the Guineas whether he’s the real deal,” Griffiths told Racing.com.

“He stepped up from the trials to the races and then up to the Bill Stutt Stakes. He’s only a two-start horse, so I think he’s got scope for improvement, and he needs to step up again.

“We don’t know whether the Melbourne form will stack up against Militarize, but Griff (winner of the Stutt) is our yardstick and is high up in the betting, so, on that basis, we should be there.”

A $65,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Merricks Station for Tim Nolen, he was re-offered in the Nolen Racing draft at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale last year where his trainers and Peter Ford Thoroughbreds picked him up for $150,000 after he breezed in 10.65 seconds.

His sire Justify has had hit a serious purple patch producing four Group I winners in the Northern Hemisphere this year including four Group winning juveniles in the past week, two of them Group I winners in Opera Singer (France, turf) and Just FYI (USA, dirt).

Running at just over 10% SW to runner, Justify is a serious sire of serious horses so his entries for this year’s Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale tomorrow at Riverside Stables are sure to command interest and are listed below.

Lot 35 Colt Justify (USA) x Boadicea Belle, by Smart Missile  - Blake Ryan Racing

Advertisement

Second foal of a winning half-sister to Group II winner Miss Marielle, the dam of Group I winner Peeping.

Lot 52 Colt Justify (USA) x Chillaxing, by High Chaparral (IRE) – Leanach Lodge

First foal of a placed three-quarter sister to Group II winner Peltzer.

Lot 152 Colt Justify (USA) x Montana Flight, by Flying Spur – Nolen Racing

Third foal of multiple Group winner Montana Flyer.

Lot 222 Filly Justify (USA) x Tingu (Fr), by Intello – Valiant Stud

Second foal of a winning half-sister to stakes-winner Pisanello from the family of Group I winners The United States, Hydrangea and Hermosa. Has pedigree and physique that scream classic three year-old filly!

Advertisment
More Reading...
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Sires With Winners - Sunday July 6
Here is the full list of 68 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
National Online Breeding Stock Sale Online Now
The National Online Breeding Stock Sale has launched on Gavelhouse Plus with bidding open on the 87 Lots sale which is set to end from 7pm on Wednesday 9th July.
New Sprint Star for WA?
Oakland Park's veteran WA sire Sessions is rarely without a good horse to represent him, and the son of Lonhro now has his sixth stakes winner after exciting 3YO galloper Repossession spanked the older horses to win the Listed Beaufine Stakes at Pinjarra Park.
Stakes Success for Spritely 7YO Warhorse
Pearce Racing's seven year old warhorse Ginger Baker collected his first ever stakes win in the Listed 2200m South West Cup yesterday.
Sixth Winner for Anders
First past the post at Wyong on June 24, talented Anders filly Sapling lost that race on protest, but quickly made amends when returning to the same track on Saturday to score her first actual victory.
Group 1 Durban July Success For Son Of Australian Bred Gimmethegreenlight
Although not having previously sired a winner of South Africa’s greatest race, the Australian bred, South African-based sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) added a 13th individual Group 1 winner to his record when the Dean Kannemeyer trained The Real Prince (SAF) added Saturday’s R5m Group 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July (2200m) to his record.
Debut Winner for St Mark’s Basilica
Set to shuttle to Coolmore Australia this spring, St Mark’s Basilica (FR) had an impressive debut winner overnight in the UK with Cape Ashizuri opening his account in style.
Resolute Racing Win G1 Prix Jean Prat – Wootton Bassett Sire Power
A crackerjack meeting at Deauville in France overnight highlighted the power of Wootton Bassett (GB), who sired yet another new two year-old stakes-winner and he also featured as the grand-sire of Woodshauna, who captured the Group I Prix Jean Prat (1400m) for US based Resolute Racing.
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.