Fifth G1 Win for I Am Invincible Mare Imperatriz

Tara Madgwick - Friday March 24

Kiwi trained glamour mare Imperatriz was narrowly beaten by Artorius in the Group I ATC Canterbury Stakes when making her Australian debut at the start of the month, but made amends for that defeat with a stylish victory in the $1million Group I MVRC William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Imperatriz wins her first Aussie G1 in the William Reid Stakes - image Grant Courtney

The Mark Walker-trained daughter of I Am Invincible had regular partner Opie Bosson on board and produced her dazzling best to power home from behind the leaders with a brilliant turn of foot.

Advertisement

She surged clear to win by a length from Group I winning mares Bella Nipotina, Roch ‘n’ Horse and September Run in an all girls finish to the prestige sprint.

“She’s been trouble free this preparation and it was a fantastic ride of Opie’s as well, he just timed it perfectly,” said Mark Walker.

“We had to make a long sustained run, so full credit to the mare, she’s a beauty!

“We’ll get her home to Te Akau Stud and get some of that good New Zealand grass into her and give her a good break now.”
Imperatriz and Opie Bosson are a great team - image Grant Courtney

Opie Bosson was thrilled with the win declaring it was only his second victory at the track and he was a little nervous going out, but Imperatriz made it look easy.

“She has an amazing turn of foot and can get herself out of trouble and she can run out a strong 1400m, so 1200m here was never going to be a problem,” he said.

Imperatriz was bought for $360,000 at Magic Millions from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft by David Ellis and was bred by Raffles Dancers Pty Ltd.

Imperatriz has the overall record of 13 wins from 19 starts with $1.6million in prizemoney and is the best of two winners from Berimbau, a Group II placed half-sister by Shamardal (USA) to stakes-winner Vinco, who is also by Imperatriz’s sire I Am invincible.

The family also features Group winners Royal Courtship and Poor Judge as well as stakes-winner Proud Player.

Berimbau produced a colt by Capitalist last spring and was then covered again by I am Invincible.

Imperatriz has won five G1 races!

Imperatriz has won more Group I races than any other of I Am Invincible’s long list of 91 stakes-winners and is his third winner of the MVRC William Reid Stakes joining Loving Gaby and Hellbent.

Advertisment

Race Result - 3 Point Motors William Reid Gr1 1200m

Moonee Valley Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:10.55
1
Imperatriz
- 4m I Am Invincible (AUS) x Berimbau (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: O P Bosson 56.5
I Am Invincible
2
1.0
Bella Nipotina
- 5m Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Bella Orfana (AUS) (Star Witness (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: B Melham 56.5
Pride Of Dubai
3
2.3
Roch 'N' Horse
- 6m Per Incanto (USA) x Rochfort (NZ) (Cecconi (AUS))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: J Mott 56.5
4
2.4
September Run
- 5m Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Pittsburgh Flyer (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: N Rawiller 56.5
5
2.5
A Case Of You
- 5h Hot Streak (IRE) x Karjera (IRE) (Key Of Luck (USA))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: M Zahra 58.5
6
2.6
King Of Sparta
- 4g I Am Invincible (AUS) x Octavia (AUS) (Holy Roman Emperor (IRE))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: John Allen 58.5
7
5.9
Babylon Berlin
- 5m All Too Hard (AUS) x You Can'T Say That (AUS) (Fusaichi Pegasus (USA))
Tnr: B W Foote Rdr: B Shinn 56.5
8
6.3
Front Page
- 6g Magnus (AUS) x Stacey Lee (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: G M Duryea Rdr: Patrick Moloney 58.5
9
7.5
Chain Of Lightning
- 4m Fighting Sun (AUS) x Magic Art (AUS) (Perugino (USA))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: L Nolen 56.5
10
7.6
Jigsaw
- 4g Manhattan Rain (AUS) x Demandz (NZ) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: Ms C Alderson Rdr: D Moor 58.5
11
8.6
In The Congo
- 4h Snitzel (AUS) x Via Africa (SAF) (Var (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 58.5
12
10.6
Masked Crusader
- 6g Toronado (IRE) x She's Got Gears (AUS) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Jye McNeil 58.5
More Reading...
Catch Me If You Can Tactics Sees Changingoftheguard Break Aussie Duck
Having not won since June 2024 at Group 2 level at Ascot, a front running ride by James McDonald aboard the Kris Lees trained Changingoftheguard (IRE) saw the son of Galileo win the $200,000 Listed ATC City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m).
El Roca Filly Wins G3 Gold Trail
Lollapalooza went into Saturday’s Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie as a maiden, but she came out of it as one of the leaders of her generation and the clear favourite for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
G1 Spring Ahead As Angel Capital Remains Unbeaten First Up
A winner of the Listed McKenzie Stakes on this day last year, outstanding Harry Angel 4yo Angel Capital remained unbeaten first-up, winning the Listed MVRC Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) in dominant fashion.
Zoustar 5YO Showing Promise
Promising gelding Have A Crack retained his unbeaten New Zealand record with a gritty performance to take out the Rich Hill Stud (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Extremely Good Filly Wins G2 Furious for Myracehorse
There has always been a big boom on Extreme Choice filly Apocalyptic following her flashing second on debut last December and we finally saw her back at the races at Randwick on Saturday and it proved well worth the wait!
G1 Shamus Award - Quintessa Wins Proisir Plate
The early spring has tended to bring the very best out of Quintessa, and that trend continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a spectacular last-to-first performance at $36 odds in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate.
Exciting Stakes-Winner for Yes Yes Yes
Relocated to Gooree Park Stud this year, Everest hero Yes Yes Yes produced an exciting stakes-winner in New Zealand on Saturday with promising three year-old Affirmative Action taking out the $100,000 Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at his second race start.
10 Time G1 Winner Imperatriz Retired
Australasia’s darling of the turf, Imperatriz, has been retired from racing.
I Am Invincible Mare Crowned Champion Australian Sprinter
New Zealand Horse of the Year Imperatriz had a near perfect season in Australia last term and was duly crowned Champion Sprinter at the Australian Horse of the Year Awards in Adelaide on Tuesday.
Imperatriz Crowned NZ Horse of the Year
Te Akau Racing collected top honours at the 2024 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards on Sunday evening, which was headlined by Imperatriz, who was named Horse of the Year, while the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson partnership were Trainer of the Year.