First Stakes Win for Newly Gelded Garza Blanca

Tara Madgwick - Saturday November 30

The Listed MRC Doveton Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday produced a long overdue Black Type win for talented I Am Invincible five year-old Garza Blanca, who was gelded prior  to his current preparation.

Garza Blanca wins his first stakes race - image Scott Barbour / Race Photos

Trained by Ciaron Maher and ridden by Craig Williams, Garza Blanca has always shown good ability and produced a career best performance to win by half a length at his second run back from a spell.

The heavy track might have raised a potential issue, but Garza Blanca got the desired result.

"There was a little bit of concern, the surface is probably not ideal for him, but I thought the horse was very right,” said Ciaron Maher.

"He's a horse with a lot of ability and it was a great ride by Craig. It was a little bit of a nervous watch there towards the end but very good (result).

"He's had a few little issues, he's been gelded, but I actually got a bit nervous when I saw the heavy hitters were here - Neil (Werrett) and Gerry (Ryan) - they all turned up and I thought, 'gee, we better make sure we've got everything right here'.

"I think he will go right on with it now, he's a pretty good horse."

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Garza Blanca had plenty of owners to celebrate his win - image Scott Barbour / Race Photos

A $700,000 Magic Millions purchase from Vinery Stud for International Thoroughbred Solutions, Garza Blanca has a big syndicate of owners that includes his breeders and has the overall record of four wins and five seconds from 15 starts with prizemoney topping $426,000.

Garza Blanca is a half-brother to stakes-placed Easy Dun and is the best of two winners from Mousai, a winning half-sister to champion sprinter and G1 sire Starspangledbanner and three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner Amicus, the dam of Group winners Okita Soushi and Chief Little Rock.

Mousai has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible and after having a year off in 2023 has been covered this spring by Ole Kirk.

Garza Blanca is the 111th stakes-winner for Yarraman Park’s champion sire I Am Invincible.

It's a prolific Black Type family and there are 10 yearlings entered for upcoming sales that have Garza Blanca in their pedigree.

Click to see the page with links. 

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Race Result - Premier Signs Doveton Stakes LR 1200m

Caulfield Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:12.02
1
Garza Blanca
- 5g I Am Invincible (AUS) x Mousai (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Craig Williams 54
I Am Invincible
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $700,000
Seller: Vinery Stud, Scone, NSW
Buyer: International Thoroughbred Solutions
2
0.5
It'sourtime
- 7g Time For War (AUS) x Zedoble (AUS) (Zeditave (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Damian Lane 56.5
3
6.5
I Am Unstoppable
- 4h I Am Invincible (AUS) x Satin Slipper (AUS) (Pierro (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: M Zahra 58
I Am Invincible
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $65,000
Seller: Newgate Farm, Aberdeen, NSW
Buyer: Kennewell Racing/Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA)
4
6.6
Poland
- 7g So You Think (NZ) x Sun Song (AUS) (Desert Sun (GB))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: Beau Mertens 54
5
7
British Columbia
- 6g Vancouver (AUS) x Blowin In The Wind (IRE) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: H Coffey 54
6
11
Cottee
- 5m Merchant Navy (AUS) x Ruud Not Too (NZ) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: Ms L J Meech 54
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