At this time of year when a Chris Waller trained juvenile wins a race in good style the question of Queensland is always on the agenda and so it may be for I Am Invincible colt Hidden Achievement, who scored at the standalone meeting at Gosford on Saturday.
Having his second race start following a good debut second at Canterbury last month, Hidden Achievement was given a good ride by Adam Hyeronimus, who managed to get him into clear running when he needed to get off the fence.
Hidden Achievement kicked clear and then held off a late challenge from his stablemate Sarapo, a Frankel colt that turned in an eye-catching debut to be beaten half a length in the 1200m juvenile contest.
“He's just improved out of sight from his trials to his debut performance and that race at Canterbury, he did what only good horses do in making up that much ground around Canterbury,” said stable representative Zane Jones.
“He's taken good improvement out of that and aided by a good ride today, he was too strong.
“And the runner-up, Sarapo, looks to have a future as well, having to track wide around that home turn, never easy at Gosford particularly. He was the only horse today that hadn't had a start, so he's got a nice future and he'll get a lot further in time as well.
“The option is there for Queensland. We'll let Chris and the owners decide, but either way, Queensland or not, they're both very nice horses moving forward.”
Hidden Achievement was passed in at Inglis Easter and then sent across to New Zealand for the NZB Ready to Run Sale where he was bought by Yulong for $675,000 from the KB Bloodstock draft.
He was bred by Jomara Bloodstock and is the second winner from Group I winning Written Tycoon filly La Luna Rossa, who comes from the family of Group I winner Shooting to Win and Group II winner Deep Field, both G1 producing sires.
La Luna Rossa had a filly by Home Affairs last spring and was then covered by St Mark’s Basilica (FR).
Hidden Achievement is the ninth 2YO winner this season for champion sire I Am Invincible and five of them are stakes-winners led by Group I winning colt Vinrock.