Fresh First Immortal Wins Listed Anniversary Vase

Tara Madgwick - Saturday March 16

Progressive stayer First Immortal has been promising to win a stakes race for some time and the four year-old son of Churchill (IRE) looks set for an outstanding preparation after resuming from a spell to win the Listed MRC Anniversary Vase (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

First Immortal wins the Listed Anniversary Vase - image Grant Courtney

Touted as a lightweight Cups horse last year, the Mark and Levi Kavanagh trained gelding was second in the Group III VRC Bart Cummings missing a start in the Melbourne Cup and then finished his spring with a close seventh in the Group III Geelong Cup.

Advertisement

Returning bigger and stronger this time in, First Immortal was fresh and ready to fire first up at a mile and scored a neck win for Blake Shinn that will have him well placed for further stakes assignments, although spring targets are the long term goal this year.

“He’s never won at a mile and never won first up, so we might be in for a bit of fun,” said Mark Kavanagh, who is already think ahead to the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups later in the year.

“He’ll have a light autumn into a couple of staying races and then ease up and look to the spring.”

2024 might be a very good year for First Immortal and his owners - image Grant Courtney

A $160,000 Inglis Classic purchase for Kavanagh Racing from the Widden Stud draft, First Immortal has the overall record of eight wins from 16 starts and prizemoney topping $620,000.

He was foaled and raised at Widden and is the best of two winners from Storm Siren, a half-sister by Excites to Group I winner Hot King Prawn and Group III winner Siren’s Fury.

Widden Stud sold a Written By yearling colt from Storm Siren at Magic Millions this year for $220,000 to Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds and she was covered by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) last spring after missing the previous year.

First Immortal is the 19th stakes winner worldwide for Galileo’s champion son Churchill, who has been a regular shuttler to Coolmore Australia.

Advertisment

Race Result - Quayclean Anniversary Vase LR 1600m

Caulfield Track: Good(4) Time: 1:37.87
1
First Immortal
- 4g Churchill (IRE) x Storm Siren (AUS) (Excites (AUS))
Tnr: Mark & Levi Kavanagh Rdr: B Shinn 55
Churchill
2
0.2
The Summit
- 7g Wootton Bassett (GB) x Acola (FR) (Acatenango (GER))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: Jye McNeil 54
Wootton Bassett
3
0.3
Nugget
- 7g Siyouni (FR) x Gemstone (IRE) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: M Zahra 60
4
0.8
Shaiyhar
- 5g Camelot (GB) x Sharliyna (IRE) (Pivotal (GB))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: Jordan Childs 54.5
5
2.1
Arran Bay
- 5g All Too Hard (AUS) x Stolen Girlfriend (AUS) (Canny Lad (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: D Moor 54
6
2.3
Keats
- 7g Galileo (IRE) x Airwave (GB) (Air Express (IRE))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: Craig Williams 55.5
7
7
Riddle Me That
- 7g Deep Field (AUS) x Justine Coup (NZ) (Entrepreneur (GB))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: D W Stackhouse 55.5
More Reading...
Impressive First Winner for St Marks Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) was the 2021 European Horse of the Year and the son of Siyouni is on the board as a sire with his first winner after Rogue Supremacy scored an impressive debut victory.
Another Flemington Win for First Immortal
An up and coming staying prospect trained by Mark and Levi Kavanagh, progressive Churchill (IRE) gelding First Immortal  took another step forward at Flemington on Saturday with a stylish victory.
Brave Blood
With the Group I Queensland Oaks and Derby to both be run at Eagle Farm this Saturday, after appalling weather forced racing to be abandoned last week, there is no chance this year of one horse winning both, but a filly that achieved the feat in 1988 is playing a key role in this year’s carnival.
Pony Racing Series Finals This Saturday
The excitement is building as the 2025 National Pony Racing Series Finals prepare to take centre stage at the Gold Coast Turf Club on Saturday, 7 June, showcasing the nation's most promising young riders and their ponies.
Williams honoured with Damehood
Two thoroughbred industry stalwarts have been bestowed one of New Zealand’s highest honours in the King’s Birthday honour list, including Catriona Williams, who has been appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to spinal cord injury research and equestrian sport.
$850,000 Extreme Choice Colt Equals MM National Yearling Record
A stunning colt by Extreme Choice equalled the all time record price at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast today when he sold for $850,000.
Winx to Visit Too Darn Hot
World champion racehorse Winx is set for a new chapter in her stud career this spring with an announcement from her ownership group of Peter Tighe, Debbie Kepitis and Elizabeth Treweeke that Too Darn Hot (GB) is the chosen one.
Brendan Lindsay honoured - Knights of the Cambridge Stud roundtable
The Cambridge Stud legacy continues to grow, with current co-principal Brendan Lindsay appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King's Birthday Honours for his services to business and philanthropy.
Almanzor Colt Wins G2 Italian Derby
Wootton Bassett sired the winner of the Group I Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) on Sunday in Camille Pissarro and then overnight his champion Cambridge Stud based son Almanzor (Fr) produced the winner of the Group II Derby Italiano (2200m).
Sires With Winners - Monday June 2
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.