Having his first start for the Michael Freedman yard, Godolphin’s 3yo I Am Invincible colt Ohope resumed from a spell on Tuesday to land his maiden victory, winning the Blakes Marine Maiden Handicap (1100m) at Hawkesbury.
Commencing his career in Victoria with a narrow debut third at Bendigo before a seventh placed effort behind eventual Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Vinrock (I Am Invincible) in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes, the colt's final 2yo start was a promising fourth at Warwick Farm.
Winning a 900m trial on July 29 with the beaten brigade including stakes winner Within The Law (Lucky Vega), Ohope started on the third line of betting on Tuesday behind the Waterhouse/Bott trained Tuscany (Zoustar).
Having ridden the first winner on the card in the shape of Peter Snowden’s Hurry Miss, Tommy Berry was once again jumping from barrier one, where he settled Ohope on the rail where he was able to track the leader.
When the field headed into the home turn and the race leader rolled off the fence, Berry continued his run along the rail to hit the lead at the 200m before pulling away for victory.
Although taking a little time to find clear running, Tuscany was unable to quicken as expected, finishing a length and a half from Ohope in second with the Hawkes Racing trained Gamp holding on for third after leading for the majority of the race.
Noted working down the outside of the field and possibly one to watch next time out, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained Capitalist gelding Banknote Hustler finished in fourth.
Ohope is the second foal, and first winner out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Pohutukawa, herself a three-quarter-sister to Nostradamus, from the family of Widden Stud’s Group 1 winner Star Witness (Starcraft).
A winner of the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic and also a runner up in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara, Pohutukawa hasn’t had a lot of luck since foaling Ohope with her Brazen Beau colt passing after birth, before she foaled a colt by Street Boss. Unfortunately missing to both Cylinder and Brazen Beau last season, Pohutukawa will not produce a foal this season.
The sire of 120 stakes winners led by 17 individual Group 1 winners, Yarraman Park’s three-time Champion Sire I Am Invincible will stand this season at a fee of $220,000 (inc. GST).
