Inspirational Girl storms to Railway (G1) Success

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. 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.

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. 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.