Considered a genuine chance in the first race in Sydney for the new season two-year-olds, the Listed Breeders' Plate at Randwick back in September, Triple Crown Syndications I Am Invincible colt Invincible Lad waited until the final few weeks of the season to shed his maiden status over 1000 metres at Gosford on Thursday.
Highly enough regarded by the Snowden stable to run in three stakes events in both Sydney and Melbourne, Invincible Lad placed in the Listed The Asian Executive Stakes (1100m) at Flemington in February.
Making his seventh start under Blake Shinn, Invincible Lad disposed of the favourite Sent From Above turning for home before holding the challenge of Royal Witness (Star Witness) by a half-length with Buckle Up Baby (Star Witness) one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
An $80,000 purchase by Triple Crown Syndications out of the Yarraman draft at the 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Invincible Lad (pictured as a yearling ) is one of nine winners from 10 to race out of the stakes-winning mare Magdalena (Snaadee).
Bred on the same cross that produced the superstar Brazen Beau, Invincible Lad is a brother to Gimcrack Stakes runner-up Tetsuko and a half-brother to the stakes-placed Sir Cat and Purrpurrlena (Catbird) who is the dam of the Champion 2YO Filly in South Africa in 2014-15, Entisaar (More Than Ready).
Invincible Lad becomes the 25th 2yo winner for I Am Invincible this season, a runaway winner for the number of individual winners and second only to Snitzel on earnings.
I Am Invincible's 25 two-year-old winners include four stakes-winners Pure Elation, Santos, Paquirri and Fiesta, although none of those can claim to be his highest earner.
That distinction belongs to Australia's best maiden Oohood, a place-getter in the Golden Slipper, Blue Diamond and ATC Sires Produce Stakes with earnings just shy of $1 million.
I Am Invincible is fully booked this spring at Yarraman Park at a fee of $192,500.
