Yarraman Park Stud's unstoppable I Am Invincible took his seasonal stakes tally to 17 when Illustrious Lad returned from two years in the wilderness in Saturday's Listed City Of Marion Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville.
After securing the run of the race on the fence behind the leader, Anthony Darmanin pushed the top-weight through a narrow gap to defeat a game Nariko (Not A Single Doubt) by a head with the favourite Platinum Angel (Snitzel) a fast-finishing third.
It was the first win for the Peter Gelagotis-trained gelding since the Group II VRC Tab.com.au Stakes at Flemington in October 2016.
With his fourth stakes win Illustrious Lad advances his record to 10 wins 6 seconds 1 third from 39 starts with earnings of $810,297.
"It's been frustrating, he has been a handy horse and we've had a lot of fun with him," Peter Galagotas said.
"We have travelled here and there, and he has raced well without winning.
"I thought at the 100m we were beaten, the horse on the outside headed him but to his credit, he fought back, he wanted to be a winner today."
From the first crop of I Am Invincible, Illustrious Lad was purchased by his managing owner Anthony Panozzo for $40,000 at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Tragically, Illustrious Lad is the only live foal of the Zeditave mare Industrious who was raced by Panozzo to win two races in Melbourne and place in the Group III MVRC Champagne Stakes.
She had been at stud five seasons before producing Illustrious Lad. Then her Hinchinbrook colt foal died shortly after he was born and Industrious died in 2012 when she suffered a broken pelvis during a lightning storm.
Industrious was a half-sister to Magic Millions 2yo Classic runner-up Sally's Magic the dam of Group III winner Publishing and stakes-winner Miss Mooney Mooney as well as to the dam of Listed Brian Crowley Stakes winner and promising young sire Better Than Ready.
Now one of the most sought-after stallions in the land, I Am Invincible (photo Mark Smith ) is the most represented sire at the 2019 Magic Millions with 61 entries while he has 20 catalogued for the Inglis Classic and 10 at the Inglis Premier.
