Defending Champion Invincibella Cracks the $2 million Barrier

Mark Smith - Saturday June 8

Star Thoroughbreds' Invincibella returned to form to take her earnings to over $2 million as she defended her title in Saturday's Group II Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm.

Given the run of the race by James McDonald, the daughter of I Am Invincible led home three of the first four places for the Chris Waller stable. She defeated the Toby Edmonds-trained Platinum Angel (Snitzel) by a long neck with a half-length to Waller's 2017 Dane Ripper winner Prompt Return (Beneteau), third ahead of fast-finishing stablemate Noire. (image Racing Queensland)

Advertisement


Waller said all three would all head to the Group 1 Tatt's Tiara at Eagle Farm in a fortnight.

"She's been struggling for form this prep we thought age may be catching up with her, but to come back to a familiar race and it looks like she's back on track," Waller said.

"Her grand final is in two weeks with the Tatts Tiara, which Prompt Response and Noir will also head towards and that's a good confidence boost for her ahead of a Group 1.

"Invincibella raced very well in the spring last year and then won the Magic Millions fillies and mares race.

"But she wasn't suited by wet tracks in the autumn in Sydney and back on a dry track today she was always going to be hard to beat."

The 5yo mare advances her overall record to 10 wins, 8 seconds and 4 thirds from 37 starts with earnings of $2,163,303.

A $185,000 Magic Millions purchase for Star Thoroughbreds from the Sledmere Stud draft, Invincibella is a half-sister to Listed stakes-winner Secret Blaze and is the first foal of unraced Galileo (IRE) mare Abscond, who comes from the family of Group I winner The Hind.

Abscond produced a colt by Extreme Choice last year and was then covered by Spirit of Boom.

Advertisment
More Reading...
$1million I Am Invincible Colt from G1 Winner Amanpour
Rosemont Stud bought Group I winning Northern Meteor mare Amanpour for $1.5million at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and got a big return on investment when selling her I Am Invincible colt for $1million during the first session of Magic Millions on Wednesday.
Invincible Colt on Target for Blue Diamond
The open juvenile event at Randwick on Saturday always looked good on paper with some highly rated fillies and two expensive colts engaged and at the winning post it was I Am Invincible’s Rulership that claimed the victory and he did it in style!
Kiwi Bred War Machine Secures Everest Slot
The NZB Ready to Run Sale is never short of graduates flying the flag on Group One stages in Australia. With the 2025 edition at Karaka now less than six weeks away, War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) has put his hand up to continue that trend this spring.
I Am Invincible's Media Sensation back with a bang at Te Rapa
Last season’s Gr1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner, Media Sensation made a successful start to her four-year-old campaign when she eased clear of race favourite Ferrando to take out the Listed Legacy Lodge Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa.
$1,050,000 Colt for I Am Invincible
Tipped as one of the stars on day one at Magic Millions, the I Am Invincible colt from Group II winning Zabeel mare Adrift duly set the sale ring alight when selling for $1,050,00 with Guy Mulcaster signing the docket in conjunction with Waller Racing.
First G1 Winner for St Marks Basilica - 1.7million Filly Undefeated
The top lot at the 2025 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale was a blueblood St Mark’s Basilica filly from blue hen Prudenzia that sold for €1.7million to MV Magnier and she became the first Group I winner for her sire when charging home to win the Group I Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m) at Longchamp.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Rising HK Star for Embellish
Bulb General continued his electric form in Hong Kong to bring loftier targets into play for the son of Embellish.
First to 100
It’s probably no surprise to anyone that this stallion is the first to sire 100 Australian winners this season.