Stakes placed filly Scintillation gave trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton the perfect start to Saturday's ten-race meeting at Royal Randwick, with the I Am Invincible 2yo taking out the opener of the day for breeder/owner Rosemont Stud.
A winner when making her racetrack debut back in February, the filly then headed to Victoria where she finished a gallant third in the G3 VRC Ottawa Stakes behind Godolphin’s Brazen Beau filly Medicinal.
Resuming on Saturday off the back of two solid barrier trial performances, the filly settled in third position under Zac Lloyd after getting away from barrier four swiftly, with the James McDonald ridden race favourite Letters Patent tracking her.
The Kris Lees trained last start winner No Limits took up the running with Dylan Gibbons in the saddle, going a few lengths clear as the son of Exceedance took the field into the home straight.
With the leader coming back to the field just before the 300m mark, Lloyd asked Scintillation for an effort and the filly quickly gathered in the leader before dashing clear, and while the favourite came off her back to mount a challenge it was short lived.
Taking her record to two wins, both first up, Scintillation took the race by three parts of a length from Brett and Georgie Cavanough’s Suasion who was coming off a debut Scone win, while the Chris Waller trained Lorax recorded his second placing in as many starts, working home well from last on the turn to finish third.
"We decided some months ago to target this race and if she ran well then we will take her to Melbourne for the (Group 3 $200,000) Quezette Stakes at Caulfield in three weeks," said co-trainer O'Shea
"I'm not sure how she will go on racing the Melbourne direction so the Caulfield race will determine what we do with her in the spring.
"But she's a very promising filly and it was good to see her get the job done today."
Having ridden the filly in both her wins, Lloyd feels she has loads of potential.
"I might have got to the front too soon but she was always going to win," Lloyd said.
"She was actually drawing away from them again on the line, she was very strong late in the race.
"But I think she is essentially a sprinter – she is bred to be a sprinter and is only going to improve with racing."
Retained to race by her breeders Rosemont Stud after passing in shy of her $600,000 reserve at the 2025 Inglis Easter yearling sale when offered by Vinery Stud, Scintillation is the first foal of the three-time G3-winning Exceed And Excel mare Minhaaj who was purchased by Rosemont Stud from the Shadwell Dispersal at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $1.8m.
Minhaaj’s yearling filly by Zoustar was withdrawn from this year’s Inglis Easter yearling sale while the mare foaled a colt last spring by Coolmore’s Wootton Bassett (GB) before being covered by Darley’s Harry Angel (IRE).
With juvenile winners in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, Scintillation is one of ten 2YO winners this season for I Am Invincible highlighted by the G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes winner Seize The Day, himself a graduate of Yarraman Park.
I Am Invincible will stand at a fee of $220,000 (inc. GST) this spring and can be viewed at Yarraman Park’s Stallion Parade on Friday, August 21.
