Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Inglis has announced that G1 Goodwood Handicap winner Benedetta (Hellbent) is the latest star to join the Inglis Chairman’s Sale catalogue for 2026. The winner of eight races from 28 starts, she has amassed over $2.4 million for connections led by Laurence Eales who purchased her for just $75,000 as a yearling.
The x-factor
“She’s been a fantastic mare for us, with a lot of her owners being first-time owners, but we just feel the time is right to sell her and let somebody else enjoy the fruits of her talent both as a race mare and broodmare,” said Eales, who will offer the 6-year-old mare as a racing or breeding prospect in the draft of Widden Stud.
“We just feel the time is right to sell her (Benedetta) and let somebody else enjoy the fruits of her talent both as a race mare and broodmare.” - Laurence Eales
“High end Group 1-winning mares like Benedetta are rare to go to market and I would be surprised if there is a more attractive mare offered in these parts this year,” said Widden Stud’s Antony Thompson. “An attractive mare with a sprinter’s physique, Benedetta would be an important addition to any broodmare band.”
Harry Bailey | Image courtesy of Inglis
“She had x-factor as a race filly right from the very beginning, and the reality is that she has been desperately unlucky not to win more Group 1 races,” said Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager Harry Bailey.
“She (Benedetta) had x-factor as a race filly right from the very beginning.” - Harry Bailey
“Even as recently as the Lightning Stakes last month, she was checked at a crucial stage when starting her run and would have given Tentyris something to worry about, before ending up in the wrong part of the track in the Newmarket.”
Benedetta remains in training ahead of the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, with the G1 All Aged Stakes, a return to the Sangster, or the $5 million The Quokka on her agenda.
Benedetta | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Speed to burn
From the first crop of Yarraman Park Stud’s Hellbent, Benedetta was offered at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale by Mill Park Stud on behalf of her South Australian breeders Brenton and Elizabeth Parker. Eales Racing Syndications purchased the filly and sent her first to Jason Warren, where she was third on debut before stringing four wins back to back, culminating in the $750,000 Inglis Sprint at Flemington in the March of her 3-year-old year.
It was a smashing win, beating G2 Percy Sykes Stakes winner Paris Dior (Pierro) by three lengths in a field of 11 stakes winners. After a third at her next start in the Listed Sunlight Classic, she added two wins to secure a first stakes victory in the G3 Cockram Stakes, beating established Group winners Parisal (Astern) and Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}).
Benedetta winning the G3 Cockram Stakes | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
From there, she was launched firmly into Group company, with only four of her next 20 starts being outside of Group 1 level. She was unlikely to finish only fourth in the G1 Oakleigh Plate and the G1 Newmarket Handicap, and after her victory in the G3 RN Irwin Stakes, she ran third in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes by less than half a length to Climbing Star (NZ) (Zoustar).
She was redeemed at her next start however when emerging victorious in the Goodwood, defeating Stretan Angel (Harry Angel {Ire}) by a head, with almost a length and a half back to Climbing Star, in a field that also featured the likes of I Am Me (I Am Invincible), Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}), Skybird (Exosphere), and Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}).
Since then, Benedetta has rightfully remained in the top echelon of sprint racing, transferring to the stable of Ciaron Maher, running placings in the G1 William Reid Stakes and twice in the G1 Lightning Stakes, most recently third to Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}), as well as chalking up fourth by a length and a half in the G1 Doomben 10,000 to Sunshine In Paris (Invader).
A progressive pedigree
Benedetta is the best of three stakes performers for G2 The Roses-placed Whatalovelyday (Domesday), who has also produced G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic-performed Whatafox (Foxwedge) and multiple Listed-placed Sunset Dreaming (Impending).
Whatalovelyday is out of the well-related Krysia (Elvstroem), a half-sister to New Zealand Champion 3YO Leica Guv (NZ) (Deputy Governor {USA}), G1 Australian Guineas winner Light Fantastic (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), and Group 3-winning Lectrice (Encosta De Lago), herself the dam of multiple Group-placed My True Love (Fastnet Rock).
Whatalovelyday | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Further back in the family is $2 million earner Pharaoh (NZ) (Sackford {USA}) who won the G1 Doncaster Handicap twice as well as the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes.
“She has a progressive pedigree, being one of three stakes-performing fillies out of her Group 2-placed dam, and she has a pedigree profile to be compatible with a broad cross section of the best Australian stallions,” said Thompson.
“(Benedetta) has a pedigree profile to be compatible with a broad cross section of the best Australian stallions.” - Antony Thompson
Hellbent’s sire I Am Invincible is the highest ranked broodmare sire in Australia this season who is still an active sire at stud, and Hellbent himself currently sits within the top 10 in the general sires’ premiership.
Bailey called Benedetta as “without peer as the best mare to be offered for sale in this part of the world in 2026”.
“(Benedetta is) without peer as the best mare to be offered for sale in this part of the world in 2026.” - Harry Bailey
“It’s hugely exciting to have her coming to Chairman’s,” he added. “Mares like this rarely come on the market, so we are very grateful to Laurence and Prue Eales and their partners for giving us the opportunity to celebrate the career of their fantastic mare at the Chairman’s Sale.”
Laurence Eales | Image courtesy of Eales Racing
Eales described Benedetta as “a well-balanced, tough mare with such a good nature and has all the attributes of a standout future broodmare."
He added, “she’s by a son of I Am Invincible in the rising star Hellbent, she has an incredible turn of foot, and her demeanour needs to be seen to be believed, she’s just so calm and confident within herself.
“She’s a great sort and, to be perfectly honest, she has never looked better than she does today, which breeders will see when they inspect her ahead of the Chairman’s Sale.”
The right fit
Eales said that the Chairman’s Sale, which will take place on the evening of Thursday, May 7, as the perfect venue to offer an elite racehorse and breeding prospect.
“It’s a very select sale and last year’s results especially were quite incredible for the Group-performing fillies and mares, and the way Inglis market these mares for Chairman’s, it’s world class,’’ he said. “It’s the right fit for her. She is an elite race mare and Chairman’s is a sale for quality breeding stock, so it makes absolute sense to offer her through Inglis, who have been very good to me over the years.”
“It’s the right fit for her (Benedetta). She is an elite race mare and Chairman’s is a sale for quality breeding stock.” - Laurence Eales
Supplementary entries for the Inglis Chairman’s Sale can be submitted until Friday, April 24.
