Champion sire I Am Invincible continued his late season surge of juvenile winners when stakes-placed filly Sicilian saluted for her first win at Randwick on Wednesday.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Sicilian was sixth in the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes last spring and was second in the Listed ATC Lonhro Plate back in February before spelling.
Second at her first run back in a Gosford maiden behind another highly rated I Am Invincible filly in Estriella, Sicilian took fitness and race experience into this 1150m maiden and under a positive ride from Regan Bayliss made her own luck.
She led from an outside gate and repelled all challengers to win by a length and a half.
“I think if we can hold her together during the winter she can come into the spring fresh for some nice target races,” said Adrian Bott.
“She’s always shown well above average ability throughout her career and it looked to be a strong form race last start and she took great physical improvement off the back of that.”
A $650,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Yarraman Park draft for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds, Sicilian is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to stakes-winner Espaaniyah and is the third winner from three foals to race from Group III placed Lonhro mare Pursuits, a half-sister to Group III winner Jorda.
Yarraman Park sold a full sister to Sicilian at Magic Millions this year for $550,000 to Trilogy Racing and Pursuits has a weanling filly by Bivouac and is in foal to Home Affairs.
Sicilian is the 18th Australian 2YO winner of the season for I Am Invincible, who is fully booked at a fee of $302,500 this spring.
