Champagne Update for a Classic Colt

Long time Widden stud clients Rob and Deb Anderson got a Christmas present at Sandown on Saturday when their Sebring filly Fille Champagne scored a tenacious win brining a timely pedigree update for her half-brother headed to the 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

The Pat Hyland trained filly scored by a head in the 1400 metre contest, her third win from 11 starts with prizemoney just shy of $90,000.

“I thought she was pretty good, she didn’t have as good a run in the first couple of furlongs as I’d have liked but that wasn’t his (Beau Mertens),” Hyland said.

“It was just the way the race was run when the pace gets slowed like that.”

Hyland said he has no ambitious plans for the filly, whose dam Champagne Sisters is a half-sister to stakes-winner Rutherford Eagle and daughter of Group III winner Vestey.

“We’ll get over this race first but it will be nice to just keep winning a race with her.” Hyland said.

Fille Champagne was a $260,000 Inglis Easter purchase for the Anderson’s RMA Bloodstock from the draft of Widden Stud, who will offer her half-brother by Star Witness as Lot 396 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.