Invincible Girls Race Up a Storm

Exciting filly Dame Giselle staked an early claim to the 2020 Group I ATC Golden Slipper when scoring an easy win in the $1million ATC Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill on a day when several daughters of I Am Invincible were also making their mark.

Ridden by Andrew Adkins, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Dame Giselle turned the tables on See You Soon, who beat her narrowly on debut last month.
She settled fourth in the big field of 14 and stormed to the line to win running away by nearly four lengths.

“We’ve always liked her from day one. From the very first time she showed something and always had that good demeanour which I love about a two-year-old,” Peter Snowden said.

“She was athletic and a great mover, the staff picked her out and the riders picked her out, she gave us a good feel early and I thought she was stiff not to win first-up so it’s good to get this result.

“She can have a well-earned rest now, poke her way back and only run in the races we need to. She might only need one run leading into the Slipper, we’ll let the dust settle and that decision will be made later on.”

Purchased by Go Bloodstock for $500,000 out of the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2019 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Dame Giselle was bred by China Horse Club and races for Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock and China Horse Club, who retained a share in the talented filly.

Dame Giselle is a three-quarter sister to Listed MRC Merson Cooper Stakes winner Steal My Kisses out of the Group II VRC AV Kewney Stakes and Group II MRC Angus Armanasco Stakes winner Ballet Society, who was third in the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas.

With $600,000 in prizemoney from just two starts, Dame Giselle is assured of a Golden Slipper start next year.

Dame Giselle was not the only exciting daughter of I Am Invincible to race on Saturday with his high class Kiwi trained mare Media Sensation returning to top form with an easy win in a Listed race at Te Rapa over 1200m.

A Group I winner last season of the New Zealand Thousand Guineas, the Peter and Dawn Williams-trained mare came into the race off the back of a comfortable 1000m trial victory at Avondale last month.

Ridden by regular pilot Michael Coleman, Media Sensation jumped nicely from a tricky barrier before settling comfortably outside Ferrando who set up a muddling speed in front.

The pair drew clear early in the run home before Media Sensation asserted her dominance at the 200m as she cruised clear to win by a length and a half.

“I’m very pleased as she seemed to put herself there very easily,” Williams said.

“I had been a wee bit worried that she had lost a bit of her gate speed but she has shown me today that she hasn’t.

“She looks like she has come up well and I’m happy with her.

“We’ll go home now and speak to the owners but we’ll play a patient game with her.”

The Star Thoroughbred colours were carried to victory in the opening race at Rosehill by three year-old filly Lucicello, who powered to the line to win over 1100 metres at her first run since finishing third in the Group III ATC Up and Coming Stakes at the end of August.

The talented grey beat older horses in this assignment and has already won three of seven starts earning over $200,000, so looks a certain stakes-winner in the future for the Chris Waller stable.

A brilliant last start winner of the Group I MVRC Manikato Stakes, three year-old filly Loving Gaby cemented her place among the best sprinters in the country when running a brave second to Nature Strip in the Group I VRC Darley Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington.

Prepared by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Loving Gaby has three wins and four seconds from nine starts with earnings in excess of $1.6 million.

Yarraman Park's champion sire I Am Invincible has taken an early lead on the Australian 2YO Sires List by earnings courtesy of Dame Giselle and is setting a brisk pace to be leading sire again by Australian winners having produced 63 winners since August 1 including five stakes-winners.