The Old Firm Combines to Win the Railway Stakes at Ascot with Inspirational Girl

Mark Smith - Saturday November 21

The five-year-old Reliable Man (GB) mare Inspirational Girl provided owners Bob and Sandra Peters, trainers Grant and Alana Williams and jockey William Pike with a third consecutive winner of the $1 million Group 1 Kirin-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday.

The sequence began with Galaxy Star (Redoute's Choice) in 2018 and Regal Power (Pierro) last year.

Sent off favourite off the back of a fast-finishing win in the Group III Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) three weeks back, Inspirational Girl came from midfield under a ground-saving ride to defeat Too Close the Sun (Carlton House) by one and three-quarter lengths with Uni Time coming from last to be a further half-head back in third.

Advertisement

Purchased by John Chalmers Bloodstock for $190,000 out of the Jamieson Park draft at the 2017 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, Inspirational Girl advances her record to nine wins, one second and one third from 11 starts with earnings of $896,625.

Pike elected to miss the winning ride on Arcadia Queen in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington to enter a two-week quarantine to ride at the Ascot Summer Carnival.

Winning owner Bob Peters said he was instrumental in the decision.

"I made it for him. I said you will get a lot more rides here than there. You will get one there and probably eight here," Peters revealed.

Although Inspirational Girl was purchased in New Zealand, Peters revealed she comes from a family he has had huge success with.

"She is from one of our good families. Her dam is a full-sister to Midnight Special who we raced, and the family is growing.

"Midnight Special is the dam of two stakes-winners, (Demonetization and Neverland) and this mare has had two stakes-winners now, and we have put a Group 1 in it."

Bred by Jamieson Park, Inspirational Girl is a half-sister to three winners led by the Listed VRC All Victorian Series Final winner Ruettiger (Duporth) out of the Zabeel mare Be Inspired.

Reliable Man

This a family that Macquarie Stud has enjoyed great success with.

Be Inspired is a sister to the Group III MRC Naturalism Stakes winner Rainbow Styling and a half-sister to Group III ATC Birthday Card Stakes winner Zingaling (Redoute's Choice).

Purchased by Badger's Bloodstock for $150,000 out of the Macquarie Stud draft at the 2008 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale, Be Inspired has an unraced 3yo colt by Hinchinbrook named Brookspire who was purchased by Chris Waller Racing/Brae Sokolski for $300,000 out of the Bhima Stud draft at the 2019 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Brookspire recently finished second in a barrier trial at Rosehill.

Inspirational Girl becomes the third Group 1 winner for Westbury Stud's Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Reliable Man (Dalakhani) after the Victoria Oaks winner Miami Bound and NZ Oaks winner Sentimental Miss.

Advertisment

Race Result - Kirin-Railway Stakes Gr1 1600m

Ascot Track: Good(4) Time: 1:33.79
1
Inspirational Girl
- 5m Reliable Man (GB) x Be Inspired (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: W Pike 53
2
1.8
Too Close The Sun
- 5g Carlton House (USA) x Old Money (AUS) (Old Spice (AUS))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: Joseph Azzopardi 53
3
2.0
Uni Time
- 5g Universal Ruler (AUS) x Darntime (AUS) (Danetime (IRE))
Tnr: Ms S L Miller Rdr: J Whiting 53
4
2.1
Red Can Man
- 4g Gingerbread Man (AUS) x Brocky's Ace (AUS) (Surtee (AUS))
Tnr: S J Wolfe Rdr: S Mc Gruddy 53.5
5
2.3
Material Man
- 9g Vital Equine (IRE) x Del Lirio (AUS) (Hussonet (USA))
Tnr: J T Warwick Rdr: P Harvey 58
6
2.7
Cup Night
- 5g Maschino (AUS) x Walk In Beauty (AUS) (Barely A Moment (AUS))
Tnr: B A Miller Rdr: P Carbery 53
7
3.0
Truly Great
- 5g Dundeel (NZ) x Truly Special (AUS) (Jeune (GB))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: C Johnston-Porter 53
8
3.6
Kementari
- 6g Lonhro (AUS) x Yavanna (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Chris Parnham 58
9
3.8
Platoon
- 5g Playing God (AUS) x Oriel (AUS) (Oratorio (AUS))
Tnr: N D Parnham Rdr: B Parnham 53
10
6.9
Taxagano
- 7g Rogano (AUS) x Taxa (AUS) (Carry A Smile (AUS))
Tnr: F R Kersley Rdr: P Knuckey 54.5
11
7.0
Kay Cee
- 4m Playing God (AUS) x Flirt 'n' Hope (AUS) (McFlirt (NZ))
Tnr: N D Parnham Rdr: J Brown 56
12
8.3
Great Shot
- 8g Magnus (AUS) x Satin Covers (AUS) (Dr. Grace (NZ))
Tnr: Rhys Radford Rdr: C Staples 54
13
10.6
Dance Music
- 5m War Chant (USA) x Fast Flowing (NZ) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: Simon Miller Rdr: Jade Mc Naught 53
14
12.5
Missile Launch
- 7g Smart Missile (AUS) x Takeiteasyedye (USA) (Opening Verse (USA))
Tnr: Vaughn Sigley Rdr: T Turner 53
15
12.6
Spiritual Warrior
- 6g Blackfriars (AUS) x Angelic Heart (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: J T Warwick Rdr: Lucy Warwick 55.5
16
22.4
Gailo Chop
- 10g Deportivo (GB) x Grenoble (FR) (Marignan (USA))
Tnr: M J Williams Rdr: B Rawiller 57
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.