KW making great progress

Graham reports- "Saw 'The Warrior' at Gerald's stables after the Trials at Rosehill on Tuesday and he looks great. Lovely big quiet fella - until he gets on to the track - and he is pleasing Gerald no end."

Captain Marvelous wins another one for 'The Spirit'

In the UK, Invincible Spirit (Green Desert-Rafha, by Kris) added a black-type success when Irish-bred 4YO entire Captain Marvelous (Invincible Spirit-Shesasmartlady, by Dolphin Street) gained the judge's verdict in a 3-way photo-finish to the £30,000 (A$63,000) Listed Leicestershire Stakes (7 furlongs) for 4YOs & up at Leicester.

Captain Marvelous (ridden by Michael Hills for trainer Barry Hills) scored by a head from fast-finishing favourite & fellow Irish-bred Al Qasi (Elnadim-Delisha, by Salse) with a further neck to Eisteddfod (Cadeaux Genereux-Ffestiniog, by Efisio).

As a 2YO in 2006, Captain Marvelous won France's Gr2 Criterium De Maisons-Lafitte (1200m) & finished 3rd in the UK Gr1 Shadwell Middle Park Stakes (6 furlongs) at Newmarket; he was a €100,000 (A$170,000) yearling at the Goffs November Sale.

Invincible Spirit progeny in demand

Following the earlier sale of Invincible Spirit fillies for $270,000 and $330,000, the Tattersalls (UK) 2yo sale has seen the sale of a $970,000 Invincible Spirit colt, the third-top priced lot of the sale.
Newmarket trainer John Gosden out-bid London-based agent Jamie McCalmont (standing with Coolmore's Paul Shanahan & Michael Tabor) & paid 440,000 guineas (A$970,000) for a colt by Invincible Spirit out of Robellino mare Need You Badly consigned by Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm.
This colt was previously purchased as a yearling for just 50,000 guineas (A$110,000). Oak Tree Farm at County Meath in Ireland sold 5 lots over the 2 days of the sale for a total 1,255,000 guineas (A$2.761m). Gosden told racingpost.co.uk: "He's for an American-based client with a lot of interests, so I don't know if I'll be training him. He looks like he'll be a 2YO & was a gorgeous, athletic horse, who was very well put together."

Back in Work

Khamsin Warrior is back at Gerald's Rosehill stables and the task of getting him race-fit has commenced again. Graham, Steve and Geoff visited him this morning and were very impressed with the way he has come back from Bimbadeen Park.

The gelding op has also been a success with Gerald reporting that he is far more tractable now, so we are looking forward to him applying himself 100% to the task ahead- earning a start in a race in 8 or so weeks time.