Twice second in Group I sprints last season behind powerhouse colt Tentyris, dashing grey I Am Invincible mare My Gladiola finally found her time to shine at Sandown on Saturday in the $750,000 Group I MVRC AJ Moir Stakes (1000m).
A brilliant juvenile that won the Group III MRC Blue Diamond Preview on debut at two, the John McArdle trained My Gladiola has always been hard to hold out when fresh off a spell.
In a field dominated this year by fillies and mares, the Moir always looked a good target race and with her regular rider Jamie Mott on board, My Gladiola was out to have a red hot crack at the elusive G1.
She had a perfect run in transit sitting just behind the leader Cavalry Girl and with 300m to run moved alongside her to challenge.
My Gladiola surged hard at the finish to win by half length over Cavalry Girl with the three year-old filly Natural Fling losing no admirers with her brave third beaten a length.
John McArdle was relieved after the win given he had nearly scratched My Gladiola when the track was looking likely to be heavy.
“Thank God, I second guessed myself a little bit. We were thinking about scratching and thankfully they put it up as a (soft) seven. If it had been a (heavy) eight we may not have been here,” he said.
“Things went her way today. The wind and the sun dried the track out a bit and Jamie gave her a great ride. Getting a good barrier we didn't have to go as far back as we normally do and she's got the job done.
"She has run against the best her entire career. We ran second to Tentyris a couple of times, running incredible times and she was deserving of this."
Jamie Mott has ridden My Gladiola in 12 of her 13 starts and all of her wins so was understandably emotional after this milestone victory.
Bred and sold by Kia Ora Stud, My Gladiola was purchased by Redgum Racing for $550,000 from Inglis Easter and with three wins and six placings from 13 starts has banked in excess of $1.3million in prizemoney for her big team of owners that include Kia Ora, who retained an interest in the likable grey.
She is the fifth winner from seven foals to race from Villa Verde and is the first to gain Black Type.
Bought as a broodmare prospect for $1.1million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2015, Villa Verde is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group II winner Doubtland and stakes-winner Pretty Fast tracing back to the family of Golden Slipper winners Rory’s Jester and Ha Ha.
The family has had a resurgence in recent years producing Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Unit Five and stakes-winning filly Bellazaine, who sold for $900,000 as a broodmare prospect at the MM National Sale this year.
Villa Verde died earlier this year and her final foal is a yearling colt by Ole Kirk.
My Gladiola is the 20th Group I winner for Yarraman Park’s champion sire I Am Invincible, who had a good day at the office with metropolitan winners in Sydney (Ernaux) and Melbourne (Behaviour).
