Yarraman Park’s champion sire I Am Invincible had two promising metropolitan maiden winners on Wednesday with an Emirates Park homebred filly saluting on debut at Sandown, while a $1.4million colt put his first win on the board at Warwick Farm.
Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, Tajneed had shown good promise in recent trials in Sydney and was dispatched south to make her debut in the 1300m fillies maiden.
She settled nicely back in the field for Damien Oliver and hit the front with a furlong to run. Tajneed faced a stiff challenge from royally bred Deep Impact filly As Time Goes By, but had enough left to win by a neck.
“She’s a lovely style of filly with length and scope about her, particularly for an I Am Invincible as they tend to be speed horses,” said Damien Oliver.
“The message from the stable was to ride her a bit conservative and give her the chance to finish off her race, especially first up at 1300… she’s a lovely filly and has done a great job first time out.”
Tajneed is entitled to have length and scope given she is the first foal from unraced Galileo mare Roudha (IRE), a daughter of dual Group I winning Australian filly Melito, who went to stud in Ireland after selling to Coolmore for $1.65million at the 2012 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Roudha was bought by Emirates Park for 500,000 guineas at the 2016 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, but sadly never raced before being set back to Australia to begin her stud career.
Emirates Park sold an I Am Invincible colt from Roudha at Magic Millions this year for $500,000 to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and she has a yearling filly to follow by Too Darn Hot (GB). She was covered last spring by Wootton Bassett (GB).
I Am Invincible quickly made it a winning double when the Chris Waller trained colt Great Barrier Reef won the 1100m maiden by a neck for Hugh Bowman at his third start.
A $1.4million Inglis Easter purchase for Tom Magnier from the Kia Ora Stud draft, Great Barrier Reef will no doubt take confidence from the victory and enjoyed the better surface after his first up fifth on soft ground last month.
“He was a bit raw at two, although he showed plenty of ability, but just didn’t quite put it together,” said stable representative Charlie Duckworth.
“He was ready for the job today and hopefully can go on from here.”
Great Barrier Reef was bred by Don and Judy Kelly and is the second winner from their dual Group I winning Northern Meteor mare Cosmic Endeavour. Cosmic Endeavour has a yearling filly by Too Darn Hot (GB) and has foaled a filly again this spring to the same sire.
