On
Cup Day last year Gai Waterhouse unleashed a brilliant two year-old I Am
Invincible filly called Invincible Star to win the Group III VRC Ottawa Stakes
on debut and she returned to finish a close second in the Group I VRC Coolmore
Stud Stakes on Saturday, so we thought a closer look at the field this year was
warranted.
A field of 13 have accepted for the 1000 metre dash including a pair of
stakes-winning fillies in Setsuna (Choisir) and Qafila (Not a Single Doubt),
but for our breeding tips we’ll be looking to a couple of the first starters.
Trained by Tony McEvoy for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Exceed and
Excel filly Roobeena is bred in the purple.
A homebred for the Sheikh, foaled and raised at Coolmore, she is a half-sister to a dual Group I winning
filly in South Africa called Rumya and also Badawiya, who won the Group II VRC
Edward Manifold Stakes. Rumya was a very good two year-old who won the Group I
Greyville Golden Slipper at two before training on at three to win the
Kenilworth Cape Guineas at a mile.
Roobeena is the eighth foal of Sayuri San, a Fuji Kiseki (Jpn) grand-daughter
of champion mare Emancipation, who has spawned a dynasty that features diverse
Group I winners such as Railings, Virage de Fortune and Stratum Star.
Another homebred that bears plenty of watching is the Tim Martin trained I Am
Invincible filly Kara’s Hope.
Bred and retained to race by Reg Kemister, Kara’s Hope is a half-sister to
Group II winner Bound for Earth from the Group I VRC Oaks winner Bulla
Borghese, who is also the grand-dam of Group II winning juvenile filly
Calliope.
This filly has had one quiet Rosehill trial and if the money comes for her on
race day you can bet she will be in the finish.
Click here for all the Sale Mail for Flemington on Cup Day.