Blue Gum Farm

Blue Gum Farm homebred Inkster (4yo mare by Umatilla (NZ) ex Delgara by Delgado) is well known for being one of the biggest mares in training. Her latest win on June 13 at Melbourne’s Sandown Park proved yet again that she has the heart to go with her size.

The heavy going that day made for testing conditions in the Betfair Handicap over 2,400 metres but Inkster showed plenty of courage to wear down the favourite, Spare A Dime, in the final strides and score. Given a masterful ride throughout by Craig Newitt, Inkster impressed trainer Mick Price with her determined victory. “The horse she beat is an up and coming young stayer who had won his last two, the most recent of them by six lengths over the same course and trip,” Price commented after the race. “I thought she was going to run second to him but once again she showed great fight to wear him down and win. It was the first time this prep that she had a genuine pace on in her race and this, coupled with the give in the track allowed her to show her best form.”

Inkster (outside) outlasts Spare A Dime

As a three-year-old last season Inkster won the VRC St Leger (LR) and placed in the SAJC South Australian Oaks (Gr3). This latest win was her fourth career victory and boosted her earnings to just below $200,000, a figure that will hopefully be improved upon further when she steps out next in the $150,000 Banjo Paterson Series Final over 2,500 metres at Flemington in early July. Still owned by the farm, Inkster has provided a great thrill for three close friends of Philip Campbell’s who race the mare with the Blue Gum Farm Syndicate. “Sean Millard, Anthony Ward and Mark Vassella are golfing buddies of mine and we have a weekend away every year,” Campbell reported recently. “None of them had raced a horse before but after a round of golf, many fine reds and a wonderful meal back in April 07, the Inkster experience had commenced and we’ve all had a lot of fun ever since,” he added.

Inkster was retained after being passed in as a yearling. She is a half-sister to the Group placed Encosta De Lago mare Sorenstam who has a lovely first foal (filly) by Elvstroem at the farm and is back in-foal to Elvstroem. Their Stakes winning dam, Delgara, is still breeding and has a very nice weanling filly by Churchill Downs. Inkster will join them all at the farm once her racing days come to an end. She is by our wonderful Sire success (and emerging broodmare sire influence) Umatilla who just continues to prove his worth to the Australian breeding industry. The Sire of five individual Group 1 winners from 1,200 to 3,200 metres with progeny earnings through $30 million, Umatilla represents terrific value at a fee of just $4,400.


		Inkster holes out at Sandown
“I thought she was going to run second to him but once again she showed great fight to wear him down and win."		Blue Gum Farm homebred Inkster (4yo mare by Umatilla (NZ) ex Delgara by Delgado) is well known for being one of the biggest mares in training. Her latest win on June 13 at Melbourne’s Sandown Park proved yet again that she has the heart to go with her size. The heavy going that day made for testing conditions in the Betfair Handicap over 2,400 metres but Inkster showed plenty of courage to wear down the favourite, Spare A Dime, in the final strides and score. Given a masterful ride throughout by Craig Newitt, Inkster impressed trainer Mick Price with her determined victory. “The horse she beat is an up and coming young stayer who had won his last two, the most recent of them by six lengths over the same course and trip,” Price commented after the race. “I thought she was going to run second to him but once again she showed great fight to wear him down and win. It was the first time this prep that she had a genuine pace on in her race and this, coupled with the give in the track allowed her to show her best form.” Inkster (outside) outlasts Spare A Dime As a three-year-old last season Inkster won the VRC St Leger (LR) and placed in the SAJC South Australian Oaks (Gr3). This latest win was her fourth career victory and boosted her earnings to just below $200,000, a figure that will hopefully be improved upon further when she steps out next in the $150,000 Banjo Paterson Series Final over 2,500 metres at Flemington in early July. Still owned by the farm, Inkster has provided a great thrill for three close friends of Philip Campbell’s who race the mare with the Blue Gum Farm Syndicate. “Sean Millard, Anthony Ward and Mark Vassella are golfing buddies of mine and we have a weekend away every year,” Campbell reported recently. “None of them had raced a horse before but after a round of golf, many fine reds and a wonderful meal back in April 07, the Inkster experience had commenced and we’ve all had a lot of fun ever since,” he added. Inkster was retained after being passed in as a yearling. She is a half-sister to the Group placed Encosta De Lago mare Sorenstam who has a lovely first foal (filly) by Elvstroem at the farm and is back in-foal to Elvstroem. Their Stakes winning dam, Delgara, is still breeding and has a very nice weanling filly by Churchill Downs. Inkster will join them all at the farm once her racing days come to an end. She is by our wonderful Sire success (and emerging broodmare sire influence) Umatilla who just continues to prove his worth to the Australian breeding industry. The Sire of five individual Group 1 winners from 1,200 to 3,200 metres with progeny earnings through $30 million, Umatilla represents terrific value at a fee of just $4,400.