It was a celebration for the locals when Upstacker survived a protest to pick up a $50,000 Inglis Race Series Bonus at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

Trainer Joan Pracey was overjoyed with the win.  She had pinpointed the race after purchasing the Strategic colt out of the Widden Stud draft for $18,000 at 2010 Inglis Classic yearling sale.

Upstacker (2c Strategic – Pihikan by Redoute’s Choice) completed an opening double for Darley sires following Mascareri (Commands) at the stand-alone Hawkesbury meeting.

The race was a bonanza for connections.  They collected a $50,000 Inglis bonus in addition to the $42,000 first prize and a BOBS bonus of $20,000.

Pracey revealed they will head to Scone for next month’s HTBA Select yearling sale in search of another bargain priced yearling.  Inglis will conduct the auction on May 12 and 15.

Upstacker is a younger half-brother to NSW country winner Rhens (Royal Academy).  Their second dam Crystal Gauntlet (Marscay) is a half-sister to Proud Player (Listed BATC Courier-Mail Classic) and the dams of Poor Judge (G3 VRC Chatham St) and Royal Courtship (G2 STC Todman Slipper Trial).

Darley sire Strategic (Zeditave) has sired 432 winners of 1412 races at a 67% strike-rate.  Upstacker is the second winner from his 11th crop of two –year-olds.  

Strategic is 18 and stands for a $16,500 fee at Darley.