It was a case of another Spring Saturday, another domination by Inglis 3YOs as Tiz Invincible, Griff and Archo Nacho claimed features in both Sydney and Melbourne.
At Randwick, mighty filly Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible) continued on her winning ways, keeping her unbeaten 3YO career intact with a dominant victory in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes.
And at Flemington it was the boys who stood up, with $10,000 weanling purchase Archo Nacho (Sioux Nation) announcing himself a star-in-the-making when winning the Listed Poseidon Stakes at just his third career start and Griff (Trapeze Artist) booking himself a Caulfield Guineas berth with victory in the Listed Exford Plate.
Tiz Invincible is rapidly proving herself the best filly of her generation; the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained star has now won the Listed Rosebud, G2 Furious Stakes and G2 Tea Rose Stakes at her three starts as a 3YO.
She will now likely start a short-priced commodity in the G1 Flight Stakes at Randwick in a fortnight, for which she is a $3 favourite with Ladbrokes following today’s success.
The Phoenix Thoroughbreds-bred Tiz Invincible (pictured) is a $550,000 Easter Yearling Sale buy for Justin Bahen, Eric Lucas, her trainers Maher and Eustace and Louis Le Metayer’s Astute Bloodstock, from the Segenhoe draft.
“Fillies like this don’t come along too often,’’ Bahen said.
“I had a slight query – and I’m bloody happy to be wrong – that maybe she would be too brilliant for the seven furlongs but I spoke to Ciaron before the race and he said you try these things with 3YOs and that it would be fine, and he was right, again.
“It’s easy to talk about them now but I really loved her at Easter. Easter is a great place to buy fillies, they’re hard to buy these I Am Invincible fillies, especially with her pedigree out of a half sister to Anamoe, but I’m glad we got her. She’s pretty special this girl.’’
Meanwhile Mornington trainer Matt Laurie has a talented 3YO on his hands in Archo Nacho, a dominant winner of the Listed Poseidon Stakes at Flemington.
A veteran of just two career starts prior to today – both as a 2YO – Archo Nacho announced himself a spring carnival star-on-the-rise with a first-up win down the famous Flemington straight.
Kingsbarn Bloodstock purchased the Peter Johnson-bred Archo Nacho for just $10,000 at the Great Southern Weanling Sale, where he was offered by Rosemont Stud.
“I don’t think I can talk properly, that’s as excited as I’ve ever been,’’ an elated Laurie said.
“I bought him as a weanling for 10 grand, sat him in a paddock… named him after one of our kids, I had him sold to Hong Kong but decided at the last minute to not do it, thinking there was more in store for him, and this is a big result for us.”
Archo Nacho now sits as a leading candidate for the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes back down the Flemington straight in early November.
The G1 Caulfield Guineas looms large for progressive 3YO Griff who today won the Listed Exford Plate over 1400m at Flemington.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt was having his first start in Melbourne, having raced exclusively in NSW at his five career outings prior to today including his two runs as a 3YO when finishing just behind the placegetters in the Listed Rosebud and G3 Up And Coming Stakes in the past month.
“His first-up run he was only beaten a length-and-a-half to Tiz Invincible who’s obviously now a [dual] G2 winner and last start we were very pleased with his run so we were really confident coming into today,’’ co-trainer Eustace said.
Griff is an $80,000 purchase for Kavanagh Racing at the Premier Yearling Sale where he was offered by Widden Stud, who co-bred the horse with Adrian Goonan.
Also at Flemington, quality sprinter Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner) resumed a tough winner – both on the track and in the stewards’ room – winning the G2 Bobbie Lewis Quality.
The 5YO Clinton McDonald-trainee was first past the post but also had to fight off the challenge of the runner-up King Of Sparta post-race, who protested.
But stewards quickly dismissed the protest, ensuring Star Patrol secured a fifth career win – and second at Stakes level - at start No.15.
“They were burning along up front and those horses dropped out and he was left there a fair while out so for a first-up run, it was a great effort,’’ McDonald said.
“He’ll come on from that. That will give him a lot of confidence.’’
Star Patrol is a $78,000 buy for Josiah Ma at the Classic Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Lustre Lodge.
He was bred by Greenhaven Park Stud and Dream Run Thoroughbreds.
Kalino (Pierro) scored a deserved first Stakes success - and seventh career win - with a dominant victory in the Listed The Sofitel at Flemington.
The Chris Waller-trained 5YO has been a model of consistency this preparation – from four starts he has now won twice, placed at another and finished a close-up fifth behind the likes of Buenos Noches and Argentia at Group 3 level.
Bred by William Lovatt, Kalino is a $210,000 Classic Yearling Sale purchase for Star Thoroughbreds’ Denise Martin and Brett Howard of Randwick Bloodstock.
He was offered by Linda and Laurence Monds of Tyreel Stud.
And Private Eye (Al Maher) as good as booked his slot in The Everest with a barnstorming win in the G2 The Shorts at Randwick.
Nick Dimitrakis bought a 5% share in Private Eye on Inglis Digital last September for $60,000 – the horse has won $4.9m since.
Private Eye finished a narrow 2nd in last year’s running of The Everest when representing the Inglis slot.
At Newcastle on Friday, popular galloper Democracy Manifest surged into calculations for the G1 Epsom Handicap with a dominant win in the G3 Cameron Handicap.
The Cameron winner is exempt from ballot for the $1.5m Epsom Handicap – to be run at Randwick in a fortnight – and that’s exactly where the Chris Waller-trained 5YO will run next.
He is a $21 chance with Ladbrokes for the feature mile of the Spring.
Democracy Manifest is a $70,000 Inglis Ready2Race Sale purchase for Allam Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock, from the draft of Network Bloodstock.
He was initially an $11,000 Inglis Digital buy for Aaron Bott having been offered at the Inglis Classic Sale as a yearling.
Democracy Manifest continues a hot run for graduates of the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, joining G1 Golden Rose fancy Libertad, today's Randwick winner Strait Acer and this week's impressive maiden winners Verdad and Allapercanto.
This year’s Ready2Race Sale will be held at Riverside on Tuesday October 10, with the breeze ups to begin next week at Cambridge and Seymour (Monday) and Hawkesbury (Friday).
To view the Ready2Race Sale catalogue CLICK HERE.
