Maher and Eustace Take the Wraps Off a High-Class Pair of I Am Invincible Fillies

Mark Smith - Saturday November 30

Given plenty of time to find her feet by Hugh Bowman, I Am Invincible’s strapping daughter  Muntaseera came from last to round up her four rivals with a minimum of fuss in Saturday’s Sky Racing Active Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens and head to her summer hibernation as a major player in the rich two-year-old races in the autumn.

 Runner-up in the Group III Ottawa Stakes at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly was under little more than a hand ride in the closing stages to defeat Godolphin’s Exceed And Excel colt Chilliwack by three and a half lengths with the Lee Curtis-trained Time For War filly Time For Peace a length and a quarter back in third.

Shortly after Muntaseera’s dominant performance, the Maher – Eustice stable took the wraps off another 2yo daughter of I Am Invincible at Morphettville.

The well-named Unstoppabelle proved a length and three-quarters too good for the $400,000 Medaglia d’Oro (USA) colt Stenmark and the favoured Exceed And Excel filly Quietly Discreet over 1050 metres.  

Annabel Neasham, who runs the Sydney stable for Maher and Eustace said she thought Muntaseera was in trouble before the turn.

 It didn’t look like she was travelling all that well before the turn but she gave a beautiful kick,” Neasham said.

“She’s a filly who we’ve always had a big opinion of and I’m grateful for (owner-breeder) Sheikh Khalifa and (his racing manager) Tim Stakemire. It’s the first year we have trained for them and we've got a couple of really smart fillies for them now heading into the autumn.

“You have to aim her for the top races, she’s already stakes-placed. We’ll probably give her a little freshen-up and we will probably be thinking Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper.”    

Muntaseera is a daughter of the Redoute’s Choice mare Moosirra who is a sister to the South African Group 1 winner Musir.

Moosirra foaled a filly by Pride Of Dubai in September.

Unstoppabelle was a $320,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock out of the Rosemont Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

She is the first foal of the winning Darci Brahma mare Darcibelle who is a half-sister to Group II VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Twilight Royale (Testa Rossa) who also captured the rich Inglis Nursery (RL) and Inglis Premier (RL).

Purchased by Rosemont for $150,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Darcibelle has a yearling filly by All Too Hard and a filly foal by Hellbent.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Sky Racing Active Hcp 1100m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 1:05.31
1
Muntaseera
- 2f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Moosirra (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J Bowman 58
2
3.5
Chilliwack
- 2c Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Raspberries (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J B Mc Donald 58
3
4.8
Time For Peace
- 2f Time For War (AUS) x Finally (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: L W Curtis Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 56
4
5.3
Dominant Lady
- 2f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Sensible Lady (USA) (Street Sense (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Rachel King 56
5
5.9
Britain
- 2c Snitzel (AUS) x London Lolly (AUS) (Charge Forward (AUS))
Tnr: G D Hickman Rdr: Tim Clark 58
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.