Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Going into the R. Listed Inglis Millennium at Randwick on Saturday, there was a weight of expectation on the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Fully Lit (Hellbent), owing to a powerful debut victory at Rosehill in January.
Despite having to negotiate barrier 15, and sitting no better than three-wide for the duration of the run to the home straight, he showed plenty of fight, grabbing the lead and building an unassailable margin to find the line 0.76l clear of Rue De Royale (Per Incanto {USA}).
In almost perfect synergy, 12 months prior he was offered by Glenlogan Park, who also bred him, at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, going for $60,000 to Redfox Racing.
Fully Lit as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
That purchase price has been comfortably returned, with a handsome clump of interest, with Fully Lit now boasting a shade under $1.3 million in prizemoney from his two starts.
With a timely boost for the Innisplain-based operation, The Thoroughbred Report caught up with the operation’s General Manager, Steve Morley, to learn more about the journey to their graduate winning a $2 million 2-year-old race.
The thrill of winning
Speaking in the aftermath of the impressive victory, Morley expressed his delight at the performance, which was enjoyed at the Inglis Riverside complex.
“To win any big race, at any time of the year, is a massive thrill, but to do it in an important juvenile race, when you’re surrounded by all of your friends and industry colleagues, is probably an even greater thrill,” he said.
“To win any big race, at any time of the year, is a massive thrill, but to do it in an important juvenile race, when you’re surrounded by all of your friends and industry colleagues, is probably an even greater thrill.” - Steve Morley
“You get all the hands-on congratulations from everybody and everyone is just so pleased for other breeders to achieve such a result.
“It was a wonderful thing, and it was great to be on the sales ground for it as well.”
Morley also lauded the toughness of Fully Lit, who was never better than three-wide throughout, with the extra element of having to face the breeze for the entirety of the run to the final turn for home.
John Messara, Steve Morley and Paul Messara | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“There’s no doubt in the world (how tough he is), watching the races in the lead up to the Millennium dented the confidence a little bit (with the way the track was playing).
“So for him to sit three-wide, with no cover and explode away like he did just before the furlong, that was some sort of feeling. We are very proud.”
“So for him (Fully Lit) to sit three-wide, with no cover and explode away like he did just before the furlong, that was some sort of feeling. We are very proud.” - Steve Morley
A sense of timing
Pedigree updates and valuable winners around the time of a major yearling sale can often put a spring in the step of vendors, as buyers jot down the recent success amongst the scrawled notes in their catalogues.
Glenlogan Park have travelled south with a draft of eight to sell in the coming days, with the whole operation, and one horse in particular, propelled into the spotlight off the strength of the performance of Fully Lit.
“I think it makes a difference (to the interest in a vendors draft), because it gives buyers the reinforcement that they can buy good horses from your farm,” Morley said.
“All buyers like buying from farms that produce winners, so it definitely makes a difference, and we’re seriously over the moon.”
“All buyers like buying from farms that produce winners, so it definitely makes a difference, and we’re seriously over the moon.” - Steve Morley
With it being 12 months removed from Fully Lit being transacted, buyers don’t have to wait long for a close relation to be offered, with Glenlogan having Lot 750, a filly by first-season sire North Pacific, available for purchase on Tuesday.
The filly is out of Sunlit (Snitzel), who has a unique distinction of carrying an undefeated streak as a producer.
“I have his half-sister sitting there to sell on the last day (Tuesday),” Morley continued.
Lot 750 - North Pacific x Sunlit (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
“So it’s amazing that this particular mare (Sunlit) has had two horses to the races. The Novelist has had two starts, which was winning in town (in Sydney) and winning a stakes race (the G3 BJ McLachlan S.), and Fully Lit, who has had a win in town and a win in a stakes race as well.
“So she has only had a runner to the track four times, they’re both undefeated and they’re both stakes winners, and the filly that we have on offer on Tuesday is just a magnificent specimen, so it’s very exciting.”
“... she (Sunlit) has only had a runner to the track four times, they’re both undefeated and they’re both stakes winners, and the filly that we have on offer on Tuesday (Lot 750) is just a magnificent specimen, so it’s very exciting.” - Steve Morley
While Lot 750 has been shot into prominence, owing to her very timely familial success, she isn’t all that Glenlogan have to sell at Riverside in the coming days.
Their octet of offerings include a filly by Anders, catalogued as Lot 689, a colt by Russian Revolution (Lot 332) and a a colt by Exceedance (Lot 747).
The Gai connection
The symmetry between the two sons of Sunlit doesn’t end at their unblemished records, with both colts in the care of leading trainers, particularly in the 2-year-old space, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
The Novelist (Written By), who has the unique distinction of being the first stakes winner for his sire, won the G3 BJ McLachlan S. under James Innes Jnr in impressive fashion in December 2022, which to date is the last time he has competed.
The Novelist | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Morley, who counts Gai Waterhouse as a close ally within the industry, told The Thoroughbred Report how Fully Lit ended up in her stable, with the circumstances around the sale only adding to the story.
“I’ve had a very close association with Gai for over 23 years, historically we do a three-day trip around Queensland every year looking at yearlings. I’m very close to Gai, and that means a lot.
“As a matter of fact, it was only because he (Fully Lit) was going to Gai and Adrian that we sold him for $60,000, as originally he went through the ring with an $80,000 reserve.
“As a matter of fact, it was only because he (Fully Lit) was going to Gai (Waterhouse) and Adrian (Bott) that we sold him for $60,000, as originally he went through the ring with an $80,000 reserve.” - Steve Morley
“He didn’t attract a bid, we then came back after he went through the auction and Bruce Slade approached me and asked me if we would take $60,000 for him. We tried to negotiate a little more, but that was the amount they had.
“The reason I took that offer was because they guaranteed it was going to be Gai and Adrian that trained it, so at this moment I am very glad we did.”
Co-trainer Adrian Bott is another that is enjoying the ride with Fully Lit, and he revealed that Group 1 targets are on the horizon for the tough son of Hellbent.
Hellbent | Standing at Yarraman Park Stud
“He’s certainly going in the right direction, that’s for sure. Obviously it was a restricted race today so we’ll sort of look at the options, whether we do tempt a (G1) Blue Diamond,’’ Bott said to Racing NSW after the race.
“We kept him in calculations there. He may stay here in one of the (G1 Golden) Slipper lead-ups, just keep him at home and look at one of those lead-ups and give him that opportunity to see how he does stack up against the grade.
“Because every time we’ve raised the bar he has responded in a big way.”
