Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix
The Group 1-winning Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}), who has amassed over $4.1 million in prizemoney throughout a stellar career, is the latest edition to the Inglis Chairman’s Sale catalogue ahead of the 2025 sale on May 8. In a 24-start career, the 5-year-old mare was first past the post on 10 occasions, all of which have come at stakes level.
Brilliant from the start
A brilliant filly from the start, Amelia’s Jewel was unbeaten in her first four starts - the first three of which were as a juvenile, where she kicked off her career with an electric 2.17l win in the Listed Supremacy Stakes at Ascot. She backed this up with equally devastating victories in the G3 WATC Gimcrack Stakes and the G2 Karrakatta Stakes, never letting her rivals get closer than 2.45l in either event.
Then trainer Simon Miller branded her the “Ferrari” of his stable, a moniker that would suit her as her 3-year-old season commenced with snatching the Listed Belgravia stakes away from Man Crush (Manhattan Rain).
Amelia’s Jewel proved to be just as effective stretching out to the middle distance as she was over a sprint trip, as that campaign culminated in a 1l victory in the G1 Northerly Stakes over 1800 metres, meeting and beating 14 rivals at weight-for-age conditions at just her seventh start. Her solitary defeat that spring came in a narrow second to subsequent G1 Railway Stakes winner Bustler (Playing God) in the G2 West Australian Guineas.
Amelia's Jewel clears away in the G1 Northerly Stakes | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Back at a sprint trip come the autumn, Amelia’s Jewel easily accounted for the opposition in the G3 Roma Cup, then was a gutsy second by the smallest of margins in the $5 million The Quokka to reigning champion Overpass (Vancouver), with the beaten field including G1 Everest winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) and Royal Ascot winner Asfoora (Flying Artie).
As a 4-year-old, Miller brought the mare over to Victoria to face the best of the east, and she was quick to make her mark with back-to-back victories in the G2 Let’s Elope Stakes and the G2 Stocks Stakes - smashing the Moonee Valley course record for a mile in the latter, defeating Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and Deny Knowledge (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) in the process.
In a huge field, she was beaten just 3.32l in the $10 million Golden Eagle on her first trip to Sydney. On return to Ascot in the autumn, she yet again nabbed second behind Overpass in the Quokka, on top of second in the Roma Cup.
As a 5-year-old, transferred to the care of Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald to continue her career in the eastern states, Amelia’s Jewel has continued to battle at the highest level, with a stellar spring highlighted by two seconds at Group 2 level and running Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) within 0.2l in the G1 Empire Rose Stakes. She returned in the autumn with a front-running victory in the G2 Guy Walter Stakes, despite carrying 3kg more than almost the entire rest of the field.
A truly dazzling career delivered by a truly “freakishly talented” racemare.
The horse of a lifetime
For owner and breeder Peter Walsh, Amelia’s Jewel has taken him on a truly incredible ride - and it is time for someone else to enjoy her.
“She means so much to us,” Walsh said. “It’s not an easy decision to sell her, but I’ve got the mother (Bumbasina) at home so we’ll keep breeding the family and racing the family. I’m only selling her because of my age, I’m almost 70 so somebody a bit younger can enjoy her for the rest of her time.
Peter Walsh | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“She’s perfectly sound and could easily race on if her buyer wants to do so, or she’s going to make one hell of a broodmare when that phase of her life comes too.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have had some great horses but she’s by far the best. She won so many good races, she raced basically in Group company her whole career. She did it against the best in the west and then over east, and was unlucky not to have more big wins next to her name, that’s for sure.
“I think the best thing about her was her mental toughness and versatility. She could win from 1000 metres to 1800 metres, she could fly from the back or she could put herself in a race and be on speed and win. There was nothing she couldn’t do.”
“I think the best thing about her was her mental toughness and versatility... There was nothing she couldn’t do.” - Peter Walsh
A fantastic opportunity
Amelia’s Jewel’s dam Bumbasina (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) is also the dam of electric 3-year-old colt Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}), winner of the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas and twice placed at Group 1 level as a juvenile as well as at his most recent start. She also has a full sister to Amelia’s Jewel on the ground that was born in the spring.
Bosustow | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Segenhoe Stud will present Amelia’s Jewel at the Chairman’s Sale, continuing a long-running relationship between Walsh and Peter O’Brien, Segenhoe’s general manager.
“Obviously, her race record is there for all to see, but from the day that she was born here, Amelia’s Jewel was a standout as a type,” O’Brien said. “As she has matured and developed, I think it is fair to say that she has blossomed into as good-looking a mare as you could ever wish to see.
“I have no doubt that people are going to be blown away when they see her in the flesh.
"I have no doubt that people are going to be blown away when they see her (Amelia's Jewel) in the flesh." - Peter O'Brien
“Her dam, Bumbasina, lives with us and her early record as a producer is astounding, with her first foal being Amelia’s Jewel and her next runner being Bosustow, so she is in ‘blue hen’ territory already.''
“I was lucky enough to meet Peter Walsh early on in my time at Coolmore, so have enjoyed following the career of Amelia’s Jewel and know how much she means to both Peter and Annie,'' Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch said. “Clearly she was freakishly talented and, while her accomplishments are incredible, I think it’s fair to say that her race record doesn’t quite do justice to her fantastic ability.
Peter O'Brien | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Never did I imagine that we would get the chance to bring her to market, so it really is a truly special opportunity and I have no doubt that she will attract worldwide interest.''
The catalogue continues to blossom
Amelia’s Jewel is just one of several high-class fillies and mares entered into the supplementary catalogue for the 2025 Chairman’s Sale. She will be joined by dual Group 1 placegetter Tulsi (The Autumn Sun), stakes-producing Mousai (Fastnet Rock), and electric juvenile Strada Varenna (Street Boss {USA}).
Starting her career with a juvenile victory on debut, Tulsi leaped to the highest level at her next start with a second placing in the G1 Sistema Stakes. She developed into one of New Zealand’s finest 3-year-old fillies over her next racing season, running third in the G2 Soliloquy Stakes and the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, where she was beaten just 1.5l by Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High). Since landing in Australia, she has been beaten less than 2l twice at stakes level, including in the G3 Angst Stakes at her most recent start in the spring.
Tulsi | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images)
A half-sister to leading sire Starspangledbanner, Mousai currently has three runners for three winners, all of whom have performed at stakes level. Her 3-year-old Polymnia (Dundeel {NZ}) was second by just 0.35l in the G3 Adrian Knox Stakes at her most recent start, and was just outside of the placings in the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic, and 4-year-old Easy Dun (Dundeel {NZ}) was second in the Listed Morphettville Guineas. Garza Blanca (I Am Invincible), her first foal, won the Listed Doveton Stakes in the spring. She was covered by Ole Kirk in September.
Strada Varenna was an emphatic winner on debut in February, and has had two strong runs in Group company since. Her fourth placing in the G3 Magic Night Stakes came after taking the heat at the front of the pack from the jump until the last 400 metres of the event. New owners can see her leap straight back into stakes company en route to becoming a valuable broodmare.
Entries for the supplementary catalogue for the Chairman’s Sale will remain open until April 24.
