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.

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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.


 

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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
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