When Churchill (IRE) gelding Robusto was offered on Inglis Digital last September he was a solid Saturday class horse that had claimed a Benchmark 88 event on July 20, fast forward 12 months and he’s a $2.1million earner with the Listed ATC Winter Challenge (1500m) on his resume.
A homebred for the Ingham family, Robusto was trained previously by Chris Waller and enjoyed a great grounding to start his career before he was offered through Inglis Digital Online September (early) last year where he was bought by Darby Racing for $160,000 and transferred to Bjorn Baker.
He won the $2million Group II ATC The Ingham last December and has been runner-up in several good races since before breaking through again at Rosehill today under 60kg.
Given a great ride by Josh Parr, he did just enough to win in a thriller taking his overall record to eight wins and 12 placings from 39 starts with prizemoney of $2.1million.
"I'm glad because he just fell in and I tipped him to the world," Baker said.
"He won the Ingham and it's good to see him back today with a big weight so we can try and head into the spring with a bit of fitness on our side.
"I'll have a bit of a think. We might even go to the Missile Stakes (G2), back to 1200, and possibly look at a race like the Winx (G1)if he went well there.
"But he's up and going and he's fit and well."
Robusto was foaled and raised at Coolmore for the Ingham family and was also broken in and educated at their Jerry’s Plains farm.
He is the third foal and first winner for Group III winning Redoute’s Choice mare She’s Clean, who was bought by the Ingham family for $300,000 from the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She was also trained by Chris Waller and went on to win over $700,000 on the track.
She’s Clean is a blue-blood being closely related to Group I winning Redoute’s Choice mares Abbey Marie and Absolutely as well as dual Group I winning $2.2million earner Nettoyer.
She’s Clean has a yearling filly by Maurice (Jpn) and produced a colt by Justify (USA) last year, but was not covered after that so will be ready to go early this spring.
Robusto is one of 31 stakes-winners for Galileo’s champion son Churchill, who shuttled to Coolmore for seven seasons, but is not on the roster this year.
