Despite going winless from her first four career starts, Invincibella's last
outing had yielded a black-type placing in the Listed Lancaster Stakes (1200m)
at Eagle Farm during Brisbane's winter carnival.Returning in a midweek set weights maiden, Invincibella (pictured as a yearling) was well placed to claim her first win but was made to earn it.
The daughter of I Am Invincible appeared as though she was going to race straight past the Hawkes Racing-trained colt Missile Strike ($5.50) in the straight but a tenacious battle ensued, resulting in a narrow half-head victory in favour of the filly. Zenalicious ($13) for Les Bridge was further 2-1/2 lengths back in third.
"She was in for a real fight over the last 200 metres," Waller said.
"We picked this race out from the minute she finished her race up in Brisbane. A set weights maiden was important for a filly like her that is already stakes placed."
Waller, who already has an imposing team of fillies heading towards the Group I Flight Stakes (1600m) on October 1 – namely Omei Sword, said Invincibella would also be given a chance to run in the final leg of the Princess Series, starting with a 1400 metre contest at Rosehill in two and a half weeks' time.
"I would say a race like the Reginald Allen. She's out of a Galileo mare so we've firmly had our sights on the Flight Stakes or Thousand Guineas," Waller said.
"It's easy to get carried away but you set a path and try to stick to it and if they're winning it makes it possible."
Invincibella was offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Scone's Sledmere Stud and was purchased for $185,000 by Denise Martin's Star Thoroughbreds who are enjoying a purple patch with their horses of late.
She is the first foal of Abscond, an unraced mare by Galileo from the family of Adelaide Cup winner The Hind and Geelong Cup winner Oregon Star.
