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."

Advertisement

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. 

Advertisment

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
More Reading...
One to Watch Wins Again in Saturday Class
The half-brother to Group II winner Stretan Angel, lightly raced three year-old Brutal gelding Glorious Moments was in a class of his own at Randwick on Saturday.
Two New SW's for Too Darn Hot
Too Darn Hot is set to be crowned Champion Australian Second Season Sire and is headed back to Darley Australia this spring at a fee of $275,000 and overnight he produced two new stakes-winners in the UK and Ireland.
Zoustar Filly Wander Dune Impresses On Debut In South Africa
Making her debut as favourite in the Race Coast Maiden Juvenile Plate (1200m) at Kenilworth, South Africa on Saturday, 2yo Australian-bred Zoustar filly Wander Dune impressed with an emphatic victory.
Zousain Sunday 2YO Double
Zousain is surging to the end of the season with a double of new 2YO winners on Sunday bringing his seasonal tally of juvenile winners to 13.
Another G1 Triumph for Aga Khan Stud Bred Gelding
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who made it back to back G1 wins overnight when beating a select field in a tactical battle to win the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1m4f) at Ascot.
First SW For So You Think Stallion Tamasa As Cicala Takes Out Lightning
One of just three named foals by the So You Think stallion Tamasa, the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea trained 3yo filly Cicala remained unbeaten, going three from three by winning the $120,000 Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 26
Here is the full list of 86 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Season Finale Flourish for So You Think
Coolmore stalwart So You Think is powering to the end of the Australian racing season with a six winner flurry on Saturday highlighted by a winning treble at Randwick led by his progressive mare Oh Diamond Lil.
Consecutive Black Type Victories For Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz
Stepping up to open company is always a tough task, but 3yo Snitzel filly Bridal Waltz graduated from a last start Listed win over her own age to win the $200,000 Group 3 MRC Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
One to Watch - Belmont
Racing made a welcome return to Belmont Park yesterday and the first winner to salute on the freshly renovated track was a two year-old that started a red hot favourite and could not have been more impressive!