Mating Mix: Where are the Inglewood Stud mares going this season?

Cover image courtesy of Inglewood Stud

Gus and Bianca Wigley’s Inglewood Stud has enjoyed a sensational season both on and off the track. The breeders celebrated Group 1 success with Velocious (Written Tycoon), a victress of the R. Listed Karaka 2YO Classic and the G1 Sistema S.

Inglewood’s resident stallion, War Decree (USA), was also in form, siring the G1 Queensland Derby hero Warmonger (NZ). Meanwhile, in the sales ring, Inglewood celebrated solid results at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka. Additionally, they sold their star broodmare, Parmalove (Snitzel), dam of Velocious, for $730,000 to Walnut Farm at an Inglis Digital Sale in May.

The Thoroughbred Report chatted with Gus Wigley about some of the stud’s plans for its broodmare band this season.

Ozzmosis supported

Inglewood typically splits its broodmare band between Australia and New Zealand. “We’ve got 26 mares to mate this year,” Wigley said. “We’re actually not sending very many over to Australia this year. We sold Parmalove earlier in the year with the idea of investing in some nice, young mares. We ended up purchasing five mares in Australia and we’ve left those mares over there."

“We bought a nice Zoustar mare, Bright Flight, in foal to So You Think, and she’s due to head back to him because I like that mating.”

Bright Flight was a $600,000 graduate from the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She won twice and was offered at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where Inglewood Stud signed for her at $260,000.

She is from the Listed Ethereal S. winner Gliding (Flying Spur), who is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Eremein (Timber Country {USA}). Gliding is the dam of the Group 3-placed Home Made (High Chaparral {Ire}) and the seven-time winner Think ‘N’ Fly (So You Think {NZ}).

Another mare purchased by Inglewood at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $160,000 was the dual-winning I Am Invincible mare Kobenhavn. She is from the Group 2-placed Danish Spy (Dane Shadow), who is also the dam of the G2 Sires’ Produce S. winner and promising young stallion Strasbourg. “Kobenhavn is an I Am Invincible mare off the track. She’s going to go to Newgate Farm’s Capitalist in her first season at stud.”

Inglewood will also support two other Newgate Farm-based stallions: the promising North Pacific, whose first crop turned two this season, and the exciting Ozzmosis, a winner of the G1 Coolmore Stud S.

“Kapanku is a Star Turn mare we also purchased at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $85,000. She’s going to Ozzmosis, who I think is very exciting and it’s a nice pairing. Then we’ve got Oasis Gold; we’re big supporters of Darley in Australia and she’ll head to Native Trail.”

“We picked up Whispering Lady online in Australia for a North Pacific nomination, so that’s where she’ll go. Mozzarella, who is a half-sister to Velocious, has been booked into Spirit Of Boom. She’s dry and we had a really good season last year, where all of our mares apart from one got in foal. We normally like to send the mares to Australia dry; it just makes things easier.”

Kapanku is from the Redoute’s Choice mare Logan’s Girl, who is the dam of the G2 The Roses winner Vanna Girl (Husson {Arg}) and from the family of the Champion Naturalism. Kapanku won twice and was covered by Wild Ruler last season.

Darley’s Native Trail (GB), a son of Oasis Dream (GB), was an exceptional racehorse, counting the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and the G1 Dewhurst S. on his CV. Oasis Gold (Snitzel), who will visit the stallion, hails from a big black-type family. Her dam, Siwa (GB), a daughter of Green Desert (USA), has produced eight winners, including the Listed winner Siwa Lady (Gonski).

Additionally, the Listed winner Oasis Girl (Redoute’s Choice) and the eight-time winner Diamond Oasis (Lonhro) are from Siwa. This is also the family of the Champion 2-Year-Old and outstanding 3-year-old Pierro, now a Group 1-producing stallion.

Strength in New Zealand

Wigley has been thoroughly impressed with the depth of sires on offer for Kiwi breeders this season. “In New Zealand, I feel there’s a great selection of stallions this year, and that’s one of the reasons why we haven’t sent too many over to Australia.

“Some of the mares we bought in Australia to be served by its stallions, we left there because it’s a logical thing to do and then bring them back to Inglewood in a three-in-one package.

“I certainly think a lot of the stallions up in the Waikato (North Island) at the moment are as strong as they’ve been since I’ve been involved. There are a couple of really nice, young horses in Paddington and Chaldean coming down, and we’re going to support them.”

Inglewood will send the Redoute’s Choice mare Breaking Waves to Paddington (GB). She is from the R. Listed Karaka Million winner Sister Havana (NZ) (General Nediym) and from the family of the G1 Golden Slipper winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel). Paddington will also receive Rich Girl (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) from Inglewood Stud.

“Rich Girl is another nice mare we are sending to Paddington. She’s a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Two Illicit. We’ve also got a mare called Badea by Darci Brahma. She won a couple of races and is closely related to Dubai Honour.

“Badea is going to be a nice mare for Chaldean, I thought. From the proven boys in New Zealand, we’ve got a full sister to Ace High, named Shuffled, who will head to Proisir once she foals to Street Boss.

Mystique Falcon (NZ), a stakes-placed daughter of Pride Of Dubai from the Montjeu (Ire) mare Mystique (NZ), also a stakes performer, will head to Rich Hill Stud to the operation’s promising Satono Aladdin (Jpn).

“We’re also going to send a mare (Don’t Cry Wolf) to Ancient Spirit at White Robe Stud down here on the South Island. The White Robe guys have been good supporters of War Decree and Inglewood Stud.

“We sent a mare to Ancient Spirit in his first season and received NZ$160,000 for that filly in Book 2 of this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Sale, which was actually the top price in the second book.

“So, we’ll send him a nice Street Cry mare, Don’t Cry Wolf. We can’t send her to War Decree because he’s out of a Street Cry mare, but she’ll be nice for Ancient Spirit.

“We try to mix it around between Australia and New Zealand, deciding which ones go to the Waikato and which stay here.”

War Decree deserving of support

Inglewood Stud’s resident sire, War Decree, celebrated his first Group 1 victor last season and has sired five stakes performers and 40 individual winners from 78 runners. These results have encouraged Inglewood to continue supporting their stallion. “We’ve got some nice mares for War Decree. He’s doing a good job, headlined by Warmonger, and we’ve got three mares that are a bit older but good stakes-producing dams going to him.”

A few of the mares going to War Decree include Bequests (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}), dam of the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Ugo Foscolo (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), Secret Scent (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), who has produced the G3 Desert Gold S. winner and the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas fourth Secret Allure (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), and Love Somebody, a daughter of Fastnet Rock, who is the dam of the G3 PJ Bell S. victress Matchmaker (NZ) (Makfi {GB}).

“Secret Scent left a colt by War Decree that made NZ$150,000 at this year’s Karaka Sale, and she’s going back to him this year. We’ve also got a stakes-winning mare named Green Roller set to visit War Decree.

“We’ve given War Decree a good go right the way through, and we’re going to do so again this year.”

Table: Mating schedule for the Inglewood Stud mares