It’s been a benchmark season for Yarraman Park’s Hellbent with over 100 Australian winners earning more than $13million in prizemoney, but one of his superstar performers has been the Hong Kong trained Invincible Ibis, who received two honours at the annual HK Champion Awards night last Friday.
Trained by Mark Newnham, Invincible Ibis was named this season’s Champion Four-Year-Old.
The super talented and versatile performer snared the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) with a convincing victory. In his subsequent start he also ran a creditable fourth in the G1 Champions Mile (1600m), his first time of asking in an open Group I event.
In addition, he was also named the season’s Most Improved Horse after scoring 57 points to a career-high rating of 112 with five wins from nine starts in the season.
Purchased by his trainer for $425,000 at the NZB Ready to Run Sale, Invincible Ibis was a super successful pinhook for Kilgravin Lodge, sourced from the Widden Stud draft at Inglis Classic for just $80,000 by Kilgravin Lodge/ Waikato Bloodstock.
Bred by Adrian Goonan, Invincible Ibis was foaled and raised at Widden and carries their famous brand. He is the second winner from My Dear Friend, a winning half-sister by General Nediym to Aussie bred South African Group I winner Harry’s Son.
Invincible Ibis is one of five stakes-winners this season for Hellbent, who has also sired another dozen stakes-placed gallopers including Group I placed $3million earner Vivy Air and $1.8 million earning Group I placed Fully Lit.
Hellbent stands at a fee of $55,000 this spring.
