Illustrious Lad Keeps the Ball Rolling for I Am Invincible

Mark Smith - Saturday December 8

Yarraman Park Stud's unstoppable I Am Invincible took his seasonal stakes tally to 17 when Illustrious Lad returned from two years in the wilderness in Saturday's Listed City Of Marion Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville.

After securing the run of the race on the fence behind the leader, Anthony Darmanin pushed the top-weight through a narrow gap to defeat a game Nariko (Not A Single Doubt) by a head with the favourite Platinum Angel (Snitzel) a fast-finishing third.

It was the first win for the Peter Gelagotis-trained gelding since the Group II VRC Tab.com.au Stakes at Flemington in October 2016.

With his fourth stakes win Illustrious Lad advances his record to 10 wins 6 seconds 1 third from 39 starts with earnings of $810,297.


"It's been frustrating, he has been a handy horse and we've had a lot of fun with him," Peter Galagotas said.

"We have travelled here and there, and he has raced well without winning.

"I thought at the 100m we were beaten, the horse on the outside headed him but to his credit, he fought back, he wanted to be a winner today."

From the first crop of I Am Invincible, Illustrious Lad was purchased by his managing owner Anthony Panozzo for $40,000 at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Tragically, Illustrious Lad is the only live foal of the Zeditave mare Industrious who was raced by Panozzo to win two races in Melbourne and place in the Group III MVRC Champagne Stakes.

She had been at stud five seasons before producing Illustrious Lad. Then her Hinchinbrook colt foal died shortly after he was born and Industrious died in 2012 when she suffered a broken pelvis during a lightning storm.

Industrious was a half-sister to Magic Millions 2yo Classic runner-up Sally's Magic the dam of Group III winner Publishing and stakes-winner Miss Mooney Mooney as well as to the dam of Listed Brian Crowley Stakes winner and promising young sire Better Than Ready.

Now one of the most sought-after stallions in the land, I Am Invincible (photo Mark Smith ) is the most represented sire at the 2019 Magic Millions with 61 entries while he has 20 catalogued for the Inglis Classic and 10 at the Inglis Premier.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Friday November 22
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Moonee Valley
This promising three year-old Cosmic Force filly made it wo wins in as many starts at Moonee Valley on Friday night with a tenacious display.
Pencarrow Blueblood Filly Wins Again
Royally bred filly Sesimbra made it back to back victories to open her three-year-old campaign when she took out the opening event at Wanganui, the Wanganui Function Centre 3YO (1200m) in dramatic fashion.
Invincible Colt on Target for Blue Diamond
The open juvenile event at Randwick on Saturday always looked good on paper with some highly rated fillies and two expensive colts engaged and at the winning post it was I Am Invincible’s Rulership that claimed the victory and he did it in style!
Luberon Keeps Winning Run Going for Cambridge Stud
Quality mare Luberon put a classy field of sprinters to the sword at Pukekohe on Saturday when she dashed away in the closing stages to score a handsome victory in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm Counties Bowl (1100m).
First to 100
It’s probably no surprise to anyone that this stallion is the first to sire 100 Australian winners this season.
Impressive Debut Win for Churchill 3YO
Just days after Churchill (IRE) sired the second highest priced horse sold at the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale when his colt from Bagitol fetched $775,000, a talented three year-old bought from the same sale last year kicked off his career with a super impressive debut win.
$1million I Am Invincible Colt from G1 Winner Amanpour
Rosemont Stud bought Group I winning Northern Meteor mare Amanpour for $1.5million at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and got a big return on investment when selling her I Am Invincible colt for $1million during the first session of Magic Millions on Wednesday.
Best On Breeding
The cerise, white crossed sashes and black cap of Bob Peters, Peter's Investments, may not be the once dominant force they have been for decades in Western Australian racing, but they are far from finished.
Stakes-Winning Debut for $1.3million Snitzel Colt
Exciting Snitzel colt Return To Conquer headed into his raceday debut in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) with a big price tag, big reputation and big expectations, and the million-dollar colt produced a Pukekohe performance worthy of the hype.