First up from a lengthy spell, the John O’Shea trained I Am Invincible gelding Quantico rewarded connections for their patience when scoring a determined win in the Group III ATC Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Last seen when unplaced in the Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap last year, Quantico has overcome a series of niggling issues and looked to be working back to form in recent barrier trials.
He settled back in the field for Kerrin McEvoy and finished off with a well-timed run to beat Titanium Power by a neck on the line to claim his second stakes win.
“It’s really rewarding for everyone associated with the horse,” said John O’Shea.
“The vets, Harry Mitchell at Yarraman Park, the young guy that looks after our horses at the beach, and my staff here… it’s been a really big achievement from a good team and they should all pat themselves on the back.
“He was rusty today and has enormous improvement to come. I believe he has a really good race in him as he gets some more miles under his belt.”
A $1,050,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Yarraman Park draft for China Horse Club / John O'Shea Racing / Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA), Quantico runs for a syndicate that also includes his co-breeders Yarraman Park and Jason Abrahams.
The six year-old gelding has seven wins and a second from 12 starts and prizemoney just shy of $400,000 and is the best of two winners from stakes-winning General Nediym mare Hoss Amor, whose yearling colt by Hellbent sold for $300,000 at Magic Millions this year to Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock.
Hoss Amor had a filly by Bivouac last spring and is now back in foal to I Am Invincible.
