A multiple Group winner coming to Flemington on Saturday, talented I Am Invincible mare Queen of the Ball had superior form lines coming into the $200,000 Group III VRC Furphy Sprint (1100m) and showed her class to win by a length under Damien Oliver.
The Michael Freedman trained mare has been competitive in some hot races in Sydney won by Sunshine in Paris and Magic Time, so was well placed in this event and after settling with cover, she was too strong at the finish taking her overall record to four wins and three seconds from 15 starts with prizemoney in excess of $700,000.
“She’s a gutsy fast filly and fortunately today she was able to use that at the end of her race,” said Damien Oliver, who was always keen to ride her in behind which proved a winning move.
Michael Freedman was well pleased with the win and plans to keep Queen of the Ball in Melbourne for another suitable race in two weeks time.
A homebred for Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock that was foaled and raised at Newgate Farm, Queen of the Ball is a half-sister to Group III winning filly Platinum Jubilee and is the first foal from stakes-winning Fastnet Rock mare Miss Debutante, who was also raced by Go Bloodstock and was bought as a yearling from the Kia Ora draft at Inglis Easter in 2015 for $430,000.
Miss Debutante is from imported Group II winning More Than Ready mare More than Real (USA), whose dam and grand-dam are also stakes-winners, so Queen of the Ball has a Black Type direct female lineage to be proud of.
Miss Debutante has a two year-old filly by Written Tycoon called Lady of Camelot that has been retained by Go Bloodstock and was fourth on debut in the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes and has a yearling colt by Flying Artie to follow.
She went back to I Am Invincible in 2022 and produced a full sister to Queen of the Ball this spring.