Houtzen Second at Glorious Goodwood

Tara Madgwick - Saturday August 3
Brilliant I Am Invincible mare Houtzen found her best form overnight at Glorious Goodwood in the UK to run a bold second in the Group II King George Stakes.

Australian mare Houtzen ran a great race in the G2 King George Stakes at GoodwoodNow trained by Martyn Meade and sporting the Aquis colours, Houtzen was ridden quietly early by Ryan Moore but went to the line strongly to finish second beaten three-quarters of a length in the five furlong sprint behind quality sprinter Battaash, who won the race for the third successive time.

The son of Dark Angel runs for Sheikh Hamdan in the Shadwell colours and will now look to add another Group I win to his already impressive record that saw him crowned Champion Male Sprinter in Europe for 2018.

"I think we've got to go for it (the Nunthorpe). There are only so many Group 1 races over five furlongs in England so we've got to," said his trainer Charlie Hills.

"Battaash has never run badly in it and the track should suit him in theory, but I tell you what we might do. We've taken him up the night before the last two times and we might take him up in the morning this time. That would be the only difference."

Martyn Meade was well pleased with Houtzen, who showed her real form after a disappointing effort at Royal Ascot when she was hampered after the start.

"We've only had Houtzen a short period of time but she's adjusted really well and has lived up to what she's done at home and showed all her ability on the track. She was trained on the track in Australia and I think perhaps the change of environment has helped her too," said Martyn Meade.

"I now have to convince the owners to keep her in training. The initial plan had been to bring her up here to cover her but she's a filly with a lot of talent."

A $105,000 Magic Millions purchase for her former trainer Toby Edmonds from the Yarraman Park draft, Houtzen was bred by the late Noel Leckie and has won seven of 20 starts earning over $2million in prizemoney with highlight wins in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and Group III ATC PJ Bell Stakes.

She was one of I Am Invincible's record 28 Australian stakes-winners last season.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Wootton Bassett Colt Leads Coolmore G1 Trifecta
The last British Group I race of the flat season was run overnight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien producing a trifecta of two year-old colts led by a son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in Hawk Mountain, who was too good for a pair of Frankel colts.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
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.
First to 100
It’s probably no surprise to anyone that this stallion is the first to sire 100 Australian winners this season.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
$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.
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.