A new $2million race for 2YOs and a $1million race for 3YOs will highlight a bumper annual Inglis Race Day at Warwick Farm each February.
The introduction of the $2m Inglis Millennium, which will have its first running in February 2019, will leave only the Group 1 Golden Slipper worth more prizemoney for a 2YO race in the southern hemisphere.
The changes are a part of the new-look Inglis Race Series, which will now be worth a record $8m.
Inglis and the Australian Turf Club have combined to formulate an outstanding race day on the second Saturday of February each year – starting in 2018 – to coincide with the opening night's selling of the company's first annual sale, the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale at Riverside Stables.
The 2018 Inglis Race Day, on Saturday February 10, will feature the $250,000 Inglis Classic (2YOs, 1200m) and $250,000 Inglis Sprint (3YOs, 1100m) alongside the Group 2 Breeders Classic, Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes and several other quality races.
The 2019 race day will see the introduction of the $2million Inglis Millennium as well as the revamped $1m Inglis Sprint for 3YOs.
All yearlings purchased through an Inglis sale ring in 2018 will be eligible for the new races at the Warwick Farm meeting from 2019, should owners pay up for the race series upon purchase.
Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said the decision to put more money into the Inglis Race Series was to provide a direct boost to supporting clients.
"The Inglis Millennium will provide our clients with another great lead-up option into the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper, just as the Inglis Nursery has proven in recent years with She Will Reign, Extreme Choice and Mossfun winning the Nursery on the way to Diamond or Slipper glory,'' Webster said.
"The ATC has been a great support in getting behind this new concept and we look forward to seeing more champions of the turf come through an Inglis sale ring and go on to win the Inglis Millennium to kick-start their careers both on and off the race track.
"With the Inglis Race Series now worth $8m, there really is no better time to buy a yearling through Inglis in 2018 as we begin another new chapter with our move to Riverside Stables.''
As part of the new-look $8m race series is a $3m Inglis Triple Crown bonus.
To win the Triple Crown, a horse must:
Leg 1 – must win either or both:
i. the 2018 $500,000 Inglis Banner (2YO, 1000m) to be held at The Valley on Cox Plate Day in October 2018; or
ii. the 2018 $500,000 Inglis Nursery (2YO, 1000m) to be held at Randwick on Villiers Stakes Day in December 2018.
Leg 2 – must win:
i. the 2019 $2,000,000 Inglis Millennium (RL 2YO) to be held at Warwick Farm in February 2019.
Leg 3 – must win:
i. the 2019 $1,000,000 ATC Inglis Sires Produce (2YO, 1400m) to be held at Randwick Racecourse in April 2019.
To view the full Inglis Race Series schedule,CLICK HERE.
The first chance to purchase an Inglis yearling in 2018 is the Classic Yearling Sale, which will double as the first ever sale at the new $140m Riverside Stables precinct.
The Classic Sale will see 800 yearlings offered over four big days of selling starting with a night session from 6pm on Saturday February 10
To view the Classic catalogue,CLICK HERE.
Action will then head to Oaklands in Melbourne for the Premier Yearling Sale, where 770 yearlings have been catalogued for sale from March 4-7.
To view the Premier catalogue,CLICK HERE.
And then it is the doyen of the southern hemisphere sales season, the Australian Easter Yearling Sale, at Riverside Stables from April 9-11.
The Easter catalogue will be finalised in mid-January.
