A four year-old son of I Am Invincible, Caballus has never lacked for talent, however his path has not been smooth since selling for $1million as a yearling back in 2022.
Subsequently purchased by Darby Racing on Inglis Digital for $315,000 in 2023 and sent to Bjorn Baker, Caballus proved an immediate hit winning the Group III ATC Eskimo Prince Stakes in February of last year.
His form gradually tapered off after that and connections decided to bite the bullet and have him gelded and given a wind operation in a bid to get his career back on track.
It appears to have worked with Caballus savaging the line at Scone for Ash Morgan to win the $200,000 Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) by three-quarters of a length taking his overall record to four wins from 14 starts with prizemoney in excess of $590,000.
"Josh Parr has ridden him in a couple of his trials and Josh said to me about a month ago, 'he is airborne, this horse. He's a different horse to what he was'," said stable representative Glen Lobb.
"So both ops have done him good.
"He drew one, but he slightly missed it and had to do a bit of work to get up there. Ash had to dig him up then he over-raced a little bit and I was a bit worried.
"But gee, when he let down he let down good."
Raced by Coolmore and partners initially, Caballus was a $1million Inglis Easter purchase for Tom Magnier from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft and was broken in and educated at Coolmore.
Bred by Reg Ryan, he is the best of five winners from five to race from Group III placed Commands mare Calming Influence, a daughter of stakes-winner Calming.
Calming Influence produced a filly last spring by Ole Kirk and was then covered by Zoustar.
Caballus is the 14th stakes-winner this season for reigning champion sire I Am Invincible.
