Aquis paid $750,000 for lightly raced Sepoy filly Acqume, who was recently second in the Listed ATC Fireball Stakes to give her some valuable Black Type.
She is the first winner for Group II placed O’Reilly mare Acquired, a half-sister to former brilliant stakes-winner and noted stakes producer Hips Don’t Lie, the dam of stakes-winners Ennis Hill and Lake Geneva.
"We have bought Acqume for Invader to launch the champion two-year-old’s stud career,” said Aquis CEO McGrath.
"We believe in supporting our stallions at stud and in the sales ring.”
Aquis also featured as a vendor at the Chairmans Sale selling stakes-winning Uncle Mo (USA) mare Moqueen for $600,000 to Andrew Williams Bloodstock.
A superbly bred mare, Moqueen comes from family of $7million earner Criterion and current star Comin’ Through, who was second in last Saturday’s Group I ATC Doncaster Mile.
She too will visit Invader.
"She’s a lovely filly with a fantastic pedigree. She’s a stakes-winning and Group Two-placed two-year-old and she’s going to go to Invader,” said Andrew Williams.
"We’re going to go speed on speed here and we think this is a good physical match.”
A stunning individual that combines the blood of two champion sires being from a daughter of Encosta de Lago, Invader has pedigree, performance and the good looks that saw him make $475,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Leading breeders who will be supporting Invader include Phoenix Thoroughbreds who are standing Invader in partnership with Aquis and are committed to purchasing more high-class mares to send to him this season.
"With the quality of mares that Invader is set to cover in his first season at stud, it will give him every opportunity to be a roaring success at stud,” Shane McGrath added.
Aquis will of course support him heavily with the likes of Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Star Shiraz and the Group 1-placed Chintz, along with the Group/Listed winners Decorah, Cariad, Euryale, Mygoodgrace, Niki Piki Milo, Shakespearean Lass and Jokes N Jazz to name a few, also booked to him this season.”
Invader will stand the 2018 season at Aquis in the Hunter Valley for a fee of $27,500 inc GST.