Invincible Filly Wins G1 Manikato

Tara Madgwick - Friday October 25

Glamour colt Bivouac might have been the hot favourite for the Group I MVRC Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night , but an inside gate brought about his downfall with exciting I Am invincible filly Loving Gaby producing a career best performance to win the prestigious 1200 metre WFA sprint.

Loving Gaby wins the G1 Manikato - images Grant CourtneyWith Bivouac cluttered up on the inside and eased back to midfield, Loving Gaby was ridden forward by Craig Williams to take a prominent position and she was too strong in the run to the line to beat late closer Vital Silver by three-quarters of a length.

Bivouac never saw daylight and finished sixth.

Prepared by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Loving Gaby was one of the best two year-olds last season finishing fourth in the Group I ATC Golden Slipper and second in both the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes and ATC Champagne Stakes.

“She jumped well and was keen to run,” said Craig Williams.

“They only chose to come here after her Tuesday gallop, so it was a good decision.”

A $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Phoenix Thoroughbreds from the Kia Ora Stud draft, Loving Gaby has the overall record of three wins and three seconds from eight starts with prizemoney in excess of $1.3million. She is the first three yea-rold filly in history to win the race.

“She is so special, everyone in the team has done a great job with her,” said Ciaron Maher.

Loving Gaby“She’s always had the ability and was unlucky in a couple of those Group I’s last season. It’s a pleasure to get a Group I for Phoenix Thoroughbreds.”

Loving Gaby was bred by Kia Ora in partnership with Alan Bell and is the first foal of Group II placed Maastricht, who was race by Bell.

A half-sister by Mastercraftsman (IRE) to Group I winner Velocitea and stakes-winner Weaponry, Maastricht has a yearling filly by Sebring and has foaled again this spring producing another filly by I Am Invincible.

She was offered at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale earlier this year in the Newgate Farm draft where she was bought by Coolmore/James Bester Bloodstock for $2,250,000 with the aim of being covered by Triple Crown hero Justify.

Loving Gaby is the ninth Group I winner for Yarraman Park’s champion sire I Am Invincible, who is Australia’s most expensive sire this year at a fee of $247,500.



 

Advertisment

Race Result - Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes Gr1 1200m

Moonee Valley Track: Good(3) Time: 1:09.29
1
Loving Gaby
- 3f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Maastricht (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Craig Williams 51
I Am Invincible
2
0.8
Vital Silver
- 6g Wanted (AUS) x Vintage Silver (AUS) (Marooned (GB))
Tnr: D & B Pearce Rdr: B Melham 58.5
3
1.8
Anaheed
- 3f Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Rostova (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Tim Clark 51
Fastnet Rock
4
1.9
Rock Magic
- 10g Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Rockabubble (AUS) (Bubble Gum Fellow (JPN))
Tnr: Chris Gangemi Rdr: Jarrad Noske 58.5
5
2.3
The Bostonian
- 5g Jimmy Choux (NZ) x Keepa Cheval (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: Damian Lane 58.5
6
2.4
Bivouac
- 3c Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Dazzler (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: K Mc Evoy 53
7
3.9
Winter Bride
- 5m Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Amberino (AUS) (Perugino (USA))
Tnr: A J & T Edmonds Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
8
4.9
Faatinah
- 7g Nicconi (AUS) x Alqwah (IRE) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: D & B Hayes & T Dabernig Rdr: Jamie Kah 58.5
9
5.4
Trope
- 4h More Than Ready (USA) x Personify (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: D Dunn 58.5
10
15.4
Ashlor
- 6g Hard Spun (USA) x Another Shot (AUS) (Keltrice (AUS))
Tnr: D J McCarthy Rdr: D W Stackhouse 58.5
11
21.4
Meryl
- 4m Epaulette (AUS) x Academy Idol (AUS) (Made Of Gold (USA))
Tnr: L W Curtis Rdr: D Yendall 56.5
More Reading...
Widden Parade Braves the Rain
Widden Stud’s annual series of stallion parades in the ‘Valley of Champions’ kicked off as scheduled on Thursday with the reigning Champion Australian Sire Zoustar the centre of attention, while the world’s fastest horse Cogburn (USA) also made his debut in Australia.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 22
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$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.
Exclusive opportunity to purchase nomination in Too Darn Hot
Exciting racing and breeding prospects – plus a nomination in Champion First and Second Season Sire Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) – headline a diverse catalogue of 302 lots for the Inglis Digital August (Late) Online Sale.
Future Bright for Danica Guy
Group Three winner Lupo Solitario has returned to New Zealand, and the care of his former trainer Danica Guy, following a six-month racing stint in Hong Kong, while the stable are also excited about a first starter this weekend by Justify (USA).
Breeding To Win - 2025 G2 Silver Shadow Stakes - Darley Princess Series
We've emerged from the worst of winter, but Sydney's wettest spring in a couple of decades is going to ensure a squelchy track for Saturday's Royal Randwick meeting if it even goes ahead.
Promising Winner for Yes Yes Yes
Relocated to Gooree Stud this spring, Everest hero Yes Yes Yes has kept doing what he does best in racking up winners with the Ciaron Maher trained four year-old Flamboyant Lad opening his account at Geelong on Friday.
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Now Triple G1 Oaks Winner for Coolmore
Already a winner of the Group I Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks, expensive blueblood Frankel filly made it a treble of G1 Oaks races when landing the Group I Yorkshire Oaks (1m4f) overnight.
First to 100
It’s probably no surprise to anyone that this stallion is the first to sire 100 Australian winners this season.
$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.