A maiden may go favored in Inglis Millennium Stakes

For a maiden who has started three times, the Australian filly Price Tag has a growing reputation.

Price Tag has raced only in stakes and has finished third, fourth, and second. The close finishes make Price Tag the early favorite to beat 15 rivals in the $1.25 million Inglis Millennium Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Friday evening.

Price Tag, trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, was the 5-2 favorite in early betting on Thursday.

Price Tag has developed a stalking style. In the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Jan. 25, Price Tag closed from eighth of 12 to finish second by 1 1/2 lengths in a race at 5 1/2 furlongs.

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In the Inglis Millennium, restricted to horses who went through sales conducted by Inglis, Price Tag starts from post 11. Her primary rivals are the colt Rivellino and the filly Within the Law, who are unbeaten.

Rivellino won his debut in a maiden race at five furlongs at Randwick on Jan. 4. He will draw support due to the presence of leading rider James McDonald.

Within the Law has won twice, in lucrative stakes for sale graduates at five furlongs at Flemington on Nov. 9 and at Randwick on Dec. 14. A closer, Within the Law has a tough post in the Inglis Millennium toward the outside of the field.

The Inglis Millennium is the seventh race on a 10-race program that begins at 8:30 p.m. Eastern or 5:30 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The race will have a limit of 16 runners. There are three horses on an also-eligible list. Price Tag is one of 14 maidens among the 19 entries.

C.F. Orr Stakes draws Mr Brightside

While the Inglis Millennium is Australia’s richest race of the weekend, the most prestigious is Friday’s Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne.

In a field of 10, the eight-time Group 1 winner Mr Brightside will be strongly favored. A 7-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Mr Brightside won the 2024 Orr in his first start in three months.

Mr Brightside, trained by brothers Ben, Will, and J.D. Hayes, has a similar schedule for the start of his 2025 campaign. Mr Brightside has not raced since he won the Group 1 Cantala Stakes at a mile at Flemington in November.

In the $469,500 Orr Stakes, Mr Brightside is expected to be a factor from off the pace. Mr Brightside must hold off a closer in Another Wil, a winner of 8 of 13 starts, who has not raced since a second by a half-length in the Group 1 Rupert Clarke Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield in November.

Another Wil led in the final furlong of that race before being caught in the final strides.

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