Queen of the Ball Wins Black Opal

Tara Madgwick - Sunday March 13

A homebred for Sir Owen Glenn, that was raised at Newgate Farm as is Saturday’s Group III ATC Pago Pago Stakes winner Rise of the Masses, talented I Am Invincible filly Queen Of The Ball now sits in seventh spot on the Order of Entry for the Golden Slipper after winning the Group III Canberra Black Opal Stakes (1200m) on Sunday.

Advertisement

Queen of the Ball is into the Golden Slipper! - image Steve Hart

She jumped fast from the outside gate in the field of 12 and surged to the lead for Rachel King, kicking strongly down the running to win by a length and a quarter over impressive first starter Warby.

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, the son of Hellbent charged to line from back in the field and holds an entry for the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes as does third place-getter Metallicity, a son of Zoustar.


Already a stakes-winner having won the Group III ATC Widden Stakes back in January, the Richard and Michael Freedman trained Queen of the Ball has the overall record of two wins and a second from four starts with prizemoney in excess of $240,000.
 



Queen of the Ball is the first foal from stakes-winning Fastnet Rock mare Miss Debutante, who was also raced by Go Bloodstock and was bought as a yearling from the Kia Ora draft at Inglis Easter in 2015 for $430,000.

Miss Debutante is from imported Group II winning More Than Ready mare More than Real (USA), whose dam and grand-dam are also stakes-winners, so Queen of the Ball has a Black Type direct female lineage to be proud of.

Miss Debutante has a yearling filly by Zoustar that was sold by Newgate at Magic Millions for $600,000 to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds, a weanling filly by Written Tycoon and was served last spring by Flying Artie.


 

Advertisment

Race Result - John McGrath Auto Black Opal Gr3 1200m

Canberra Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:10.21
1
Queen Of The Ball
- 2f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Miss Debutante (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: R & M Freedman Rdr: Rachel King 55
I Am Invincible
2
1.3
Warby
- 2c Hellbent (AUS) x Speedboat (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Ben Allen 56
Hellbent
3
1.5
Metallicity
- 2c Zoustar (AUS) x Captivating Claire (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Tommy Berry 56
Zoustar
4
1.6
Nolan
- 2c Caravaggio (USA) x Don't Blink (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: W Pike 56
5
2.7
Lethal Lady
- 2f Smart Missile (AUS) x Madam Tilly (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: N F Gardner Rdr: Brock Ryan 54
6
3.0
Custodian
- 2c Shalaa (IRE) x Honesty Prevails (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: M Zahra 56
7
3.6
Standing Order
- 2c Merchant Navy (AUS) x Brugal Reward (AUS) (Reward For Effort (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: S Clipperton 56
8
4.1
Troach
- 2f Epaulette (AUS) x Anise (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Tim Clark 54
9
4.4
Invertational
- 2f Invader (AUS) x Penny Fling (AUS) (Lookin At Lucky (USA))
Tnr: M D Kelley Rdr: J Mallyon 54
10
4.9
Great Siege
- 2c Caravaggio (USA) x Kimblewick (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: A J Cummings Rdr: G Schofield 56
11
5.4
Cool Amigo
- 2c Sebring (AUS) x Mexican Gal (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: T R Martin Rdr: J Innes Jnr 56
12
6.5
Fine Vintage
- 2g Supido (AUS) x Winesearch (AUS) (Wanted (AUS))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: S Guymer 56
More Reading...
Caliyza Tops Tattersalls December Mares Sceptre Session 1
CALIYZA was the star turn on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale when realising 850,000 guineas to Ace Stud, one of five lots to realise 600,000 guineas or more. The first Sceptre Session was welcomed by a packed sales ring and saw 20 lots sell for 8,950,000 guineas at an average of 447,500 guineas.
Pedigree Pointers – Karaka 2026
The 2026 NZB National Yearling Sales (January 25-29) offers buyers the cream of the New Zealand crop and in the weeks leading up to the sale we’ll go looking for pedigrees of interest for a myriad of reasons.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Canterbury
A monster set of trials at Canterbury on Tuesday morning featured six heats for juveniles with a plethora of unraced youngsters looking to get some experience as we head towards the $3million Magic Millions 2YO Classic next month and five of the six heat winners are eligible.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday December 2
Here is the full list of 24 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
TBA Comment on Black Type Debacle
TBA issued a statement on Monday regarding the Black Type debacle with all the usual rhetoric that leads nowhere.
Pedigree Watch – G1 and G1 Potential
Last Saturday provided Australian racing fans with a bewildering array of 15 Black Type events spread across four states, so with a newly minted Group I winner and a couple of other horses we see as having G1 potential, a closer look at the pedigrees got me thinking.
Queen of the Ball Conquers in G3 Furphy Sprint
A multiple Group winner coming to Flemington on Saturday, talented I Am Invincible mare Queen of the Ball had superior form lines coming into the $200,000 Group III VRC Furphy Sprint (1100m) and showed her class to win by a length under Damien Oliver.
Yulong Purchase Half-Sister to Japan Cup Winner Calandagan for 850,000 Guineas
Yulong purchasing as Ace Stud were active during the first session of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale overnight purchasing three of the top five lots including the session topping half-sister to Sunday’s Japan Cup winner Calandagan for 850,000 guineas.
Best On Breeding
I Am Invincible and So You Think have broken clear of the pack in the race for champion sire, and both have some serious firepower in the features at Flemington and Rosehill on Saturday.
$4million NZB Kiwi the Target for Unbeaten Filly Well Written
Unbeaten filly Well Written is back in work and while exact plans have yet to be confirmed, a clearer picture of her New Year schedule is forming.