Invincible Group Double to Start the Day

Tara Madgwick - Saturday April 7
I Am Invincible made a fast start on the first day of The Championships at Randwick siring two of the first three stakes-winners on the program with a surprise victory for two year-old Paquirri in the Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes followed by a welcome return to form for last season's star two year-old Houtzen in the Group III ATC PJ Bell Stakes.

The Gary Moore trained colt Paquirri had been placed at three of his four previous starts but got under the guard of punters went sent off at odds of $51 for the Kindergarten.

Paquirri wins the G3 Kindergarten

Paquirri wins the G3 Kindergarten

Ridden a treat by Andrew Adkins from barrier one, he enjoyed a cosy run and drew away to win the 1100 metre dash by a length and a half over Legend of Condor with race favourite Lean Mean Machine in third place.

The win did not come as a surprise to his trainer, who had added blinkers to his gear and was hopeful of a better showing.

"I worked him in blinkers and I jumped him out on the pro ride at Rosehill and he went sensational," Moore revealed.

"Don't forget he was first emergency for the Magic Millions race on the Gold Coast.

"He's shown that of a morning but we haven't been able to get it out of him. He was very calm today, looked well and he got to the line."

Moore said Paquirri would likely head to Queensland for a step up in class.

"I think he's up to a Group One when he's ridden like that off a good draw," he said.

A $265,000 Magic Millions Perth purchase for his trainer from the Dawson Stud draft, Paquirri was the second highest priced yearling sold at that sale.

He is the first and only foal of stakes-winner Miss Solis, who died in 2016. She was a half-sister by Oratorio (IRE) to this season's two year-old stakes-winner Setsuna from the family of Melbourne Cup winner Jezabeel.

He is the 30th stakes-winner for I Am Invincible, who made it a stakes double two races later when his high class three year-old filly Houtzen scored a brave victory in the PJ Bell over 1200 metres, her sixth win from 11 starts with prizemoney topping $1.8 million.

Houtzen wins the G3 PJ Bell

Houtzen wins the G3 PJ Bell

The Toby Edmonds trained filly raced up on the pace and refused to give in down the running to score a short neck win over Problem Solver, who is by Yarraman Park's Hinchinbrook.

"I'm both relieved and elated," Edmonds said.

"There were some doubts whether she was the genuine type being such a precocious two-year-old.

"We knew we had her quite underdone coming here a month ago when she ran third.

"She's a much bigger and stronger filly now. She is turning into a mare.

"Depending on how she comes through this race we could back her up next week in the Arrowfield Sprint."

Both fillies were bought from the Yarraman Park draft at the 2016 Magic Millions, Houtzen fetching $105,000 and Problem Solver making $160,000.

Bred by the late Noel Leckie, Houtzen is the first winner from Reset mare Set to Unleash, whose dam is a half-sister to globe-trotting Champion 3YO Filly Sun Classique. She was covered again last spring by I Am Invincible.

Victorem wins the Country Championsip

Victorem wins the Country Championsip

The winning run continued for I Am Invincible in the $500,000 Country Championships Final with promising three year-old Victorem maintaining his impressive record to score a dominant two and a half length win in the 1400 metre feature.

Prepared at Port Macquarie by Jenny Graham, Victorem has won five of six starts earning $607,000 with his lone defeat a fourth placed debut at Casino in May last year when he bucked at the start!

Victorem was bought by his trainer for $65,000 at the Magic Millions 2YO's in Training Sale in 2016 from the draft of Symphony Lodge.

He is the first winner for Playful Miss, a Sydney metro winner by Foreplay from the family of Group I winner Ball Park.

I Am Invincible was unlucky not to have had the winner of the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes with his exceptional filly Oohood beaten a whisker by long shot El Dorado Dreaming after being held up for a run.

Third in the Blue Diamond and then second in the Golden Slipper, Oohood is knocking on the door of a Group I win!

With 41 entries in the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale next week I Am Invincible is right at the top of his game on the track and in the sale ring.

All images Steve Hart


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