Successful in the G2 Shannon Stakes last year, the Bjorn Baker trained Amor Victorious has been contesting stronger races of late and a drop in class to the $200,000 Listed BRC Seven Members Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday resulted in victory.
Less than three lengths behind Yorkshire last time out in the $2m G2 The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick, connections sent the son of Caravaggio north to Queensland where he started favourite after being scratched from a 1600m race at Randwick where he was lumped with 63.5kgs.
Going forward under Jason Collett, the Bjorn Baker trained gelding took up the lead with Tony Gollan’s Torabella going with him as the pair cleared out by as much as four lengths from the rest of the field.
With the leading pair not loafing in the run, the outsider Cunnamulla Fella sat in third, while the last start Listed BRC Tails Stakes winner and narrow second favourite Miss Joelene was some ten lengths way from the leaders as the field approached the home turn.
As the Darby Racing owned Amor Victorious took the field into the home straight, Torabella started to drop off, while Miss Jolene was commencing her run and making up many lengths down the outside.
With Collett desperate for the line, Amor Victorious took the prize by a narrow margin, with a length and a half back to the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Victory Win back in third.
Taking his overall record to seven wins and five placed efforts from 21 starts with earnings of $779,850, Amor Victorious was a $180,000 purchase for Darby Racing and Will Johnson Bloodstock from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Bred by Fieldhouse Partnership, Amor Victorious is the best of four winners from five to races out of the Snitzel mare Koizora, a daughter of dual G3-winning Octagonal mare Sky Love, who is a half-sister to G1 Emirates Stakes winner Sky Cuddle, dam of G2 ATC Breeders Classic winner Champagne Cuddles.
Koizora, who is a half-sister to the dams of Listed A Lot More Love and G3 winner Sky Command, foaled a colt by Aquis Farm’s G1-winning Spirit Of Boom stallion Jonker last season before unfortunately slipping to Officiating (USA), therefore the mare produced no foal this season.
The August foaled Jonker colt will be offered at January's Magic Millions yearling sale as Lot 1083 in the Kenmore Lodge draft as agent for The Grove Thoroughbreds, and with not only Amor Victorious, but fellow half realtions Presszora and Senzora all winning since the catalogue went to print, the colt is sure to be highly regarded.
Amor Victorious is one of 26 international stakes winners for the former Coolmore shuttler Caravaggio (USA), who now stands at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan.
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