Yarraman Park’s much missed Hinchinbrook has had some cracking fillies in the past including his Group I winners Seabrook and Spright, but he looks to have one that might be the best of them all in exciting two year-old Cellsabeel.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Cellsabeel caught the eye when charging home to be an unlucky fourth in the $1million Golden Gift last spring behind Dame Giselle.
A brilliant winner of her two barrier trials since returning from a spell, Cellsabeel was favourite for the open juvenile event at Rosehill on Saturday and did not disappoint.
Given a perfect ride by Tommy Berry, she enjoyed a cosy run in transit on the fence and when angled into the clear swept past the colts to open up and win the 1100 metre dash by six lengths making light work of the heavy ground.
“She’s very good I think,” said Ciaron Maher, who saddled Away Game to win last week’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
“She put the writing on the wall at her first start. Tommy gave her a beautiful ride and produced her at the right time.
“We put the shades on just to help her focus that bit more.”
Maher was non-committal about a start in the $2million Inglis Millennium next month for which she is eligible, declaring the Golden Slipper was her number one goal.
A $400,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Cressfield draft for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Cellsabeel was the most expensive yearling sired by Hinchibrook at that sale and has already won $124,500 in prizemoney.
Bred by Cressfield, she is a half-sister to Group III winner and $1.5 million earner Egyptian Symbol and three-quarter sister to Group I placed Strathmore.
She is the seventh winner from 10 foals to race from Group I winning Desert Sun (GB) mare Our Egyptian Raine, who also placed in nine Group I races.
The final crop of yearlings by Hinchinbrook are selling this year and were in hot demand at the 2020 Magic Millions with 17 yearlings averaging $258,529, his best result a colt from Harlem Heat that made $1,150,000.
