Following his nine-length demolition of a 3-year-old maiden over 1200m at Nakayama on March 6, the Australian-bred Shalaa (IRE) colt Invincible Papa returned to the scene of the crime to towel up a 1200m allowance on the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) undercard.
A third winner for Yuga Kawada in the first five races, Invincible Papa looked to have a battle when Ryusei Sakai ranged alongside on the Discreet Cat colt Secret Vow at the 250m.
Given little more than a shake of the reins, the son of Woodside Park Stud’s Shalaa (IRE) lengthened to put four lengths on Secret Vow with a further three lengths back to the Red Felix filly Toa Aigis in third.
Invincible Papa is now two for three having debuted with a third behind the Justify (USA) colt Roly Glory (USA) at Tokyo on February 18.
Trained by Daishi Ito, the Mikako Sakota-owned colt was a $200,000 purchase for Inc Macys, in collaboration with Satomi Oka Bloodstock (FBAA), from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
His dam Shwaimsa (IRE) (Canford Cliffs) is a half-sister to Needlecraft, a multiple Group III winner in France and dam of the Champion Sprinter & Miler in Japan in 2018, Fine Needle.
At the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Liam Howley Racing bought a full sister to Invincible Papa for $70,000 from the Widden Stud draft.
After foaling a Trapeze Artist filly last spring, Shwaimsa (IRE) revisited the son of Snitzel.
