The $160,000 Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m) on Wednesday featured several of the top contenders for the $2million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas next month, but they came up short with victory going to Peachester Lodge homebred I Am Invincible filly Anavinci.
Trained by Annabel Neasham and ridden by Chad Scofield, Anavinci won a Wyong maiden over 1000m on debut on December 8 and was facing a big class rise stepping into a Black Type assignment at her second start.
She rose to the challenge, holding off a late bid from quality filly Russian Conquest, who zoomed home from near last to failed by a long neck with Hell I Am a close up third.
Russian Conquest finished second in the 2022 Magic Millions 2YO Classic behind Coolangatta and was having her first run back from a spell after a lacklustre spring campaign hampered by wet tracks.
Her effort impressed bookmakers, who immediately putting her up as a $6 favourite for the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
Graham and Linda Huddy of Peachester Lodge purchased dual Group I winning sprinter Anabandana from the 2019 Inglis Chairman’s Sale for $440,000 when she was in foal to I Am Invincible with Anavinci the result of that mating.
Anavinci has now won two from two earning over $100,000 and as a stakes-winning daughter of I Am Invincible is a valuable broodmare for the future for Peachester Lodge.
Anavinci is a half-sister to Group II winner Packing Rockstar and her dam Anabandana is a half-sister by Anabaa (USA) to stakes-winner Gybe, the dam of stakes-winner Crosswinds with the family best known for producing Champion NZ 3YO Filly King’s Rose, now at stud in Japan where she is the dam of Group III winner Satono Arthur.
Anabandana failed to go in foal the next two seasons after producing Anavinci, but produced a colt by Pierro this spring and was subsequently covered by Saxon Warrior (Jpn).
Anavinci is the 88th stakes-winner and the 11th this season in Australia for I Am Invincible, who has 53 entries for Magic Millions.
