Shalaa (IRE) has been enjoying a fantastic run of late, and the Woodside Park Stud stallion broke new ground at Nakayama on Saturday when his Australian bred son Invincible Papa trotted up by nine lengths over 1200m on the dirt track.
Ridden by Christophe Lemaire for Daishi Ito, the Mikako Sakota-owned colt won by a space from Vesalius (Logotype) with a further four lengths back to Yorina Espoir(Espoir City) in the 3-year-old maiden. He was coming off a debut third behind the Justify (USA) colt Roly Glory (USA) at Tokyo on February 18.
Still a 2-year-old in the Southern Hemisphere, Invincible Papa was a $200,000 purchase for Inc Macys, in collaboration with Satomi Oka Bloodstock (FBAA), out of the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
The strapping son of Shalaa (IRE) has instant appeal in Japan as his dam Shwaimsa (IRE) (Canford Cliffs) is a half-sister to Needlecraft, a multiple Group III winner in France and dam of the Champion Sprinter & Miler in Japan in 2018, Fine Needle.
A son of Admire Moon, Fine Needle numbered the Group 1Chukyo Takamatsunomiya Kinen and Group 1 Nakayama Sprinters Stakes among his eight wins.
Shwaimsa (IRE) is also a half-sister to Group II Longchamp Prix Dollar winner Fractional (Manduro) out of the stakes-winner and Group 1 Phoenix Stakes runner-up Sharp Point (Royal Academy).
Closer to home, Shwaimsa’s half-sister Mayfield is the dam of Group II Tulloch Stakes winner Gallatin (Street Cry) and stakes-placed Union Gap (Elusive Quality).
Shwaimsa (IRE) was a $55,000 buy for Bert Vieira in 2022 on Inglis Digital.
At the recent Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Liam Howley Racing bought a full sister to Invincible Papa for $70,000 from the Widden Stud draft.
After foaling a Trapeze Artist filly last spring, Shwaimsa (IRE) revisited the son of Snitzel.
