Invincible Spirit on the boil

News items below courtesy Australian Breeding and Racing Magazine-

Invincible Spirit Adds Italian Black-Type
In Italy overnight, former European Champion 1st Season Sire & Chatswood Stud shuttler Invincible Spirit (Green Desert-Rafha, by Kris) added a black-type success when Irish-bred daughter Laguna Salada (Invincible Spirit-Flying Flag, by Entrepreneur) scored by a neck in the €61,000 (A$116,000) Listed Premio Alberto Zanoletti Di Rozzano (1800m) for 3YO fillies at San Siro in Milan. Laguna Salada (ridden by Mario Esposito for trainer Roberto Feligioni) defeated fellow Irish-breds Queen Sensazione (King Charlemagne-Sensazione, by Cadeaux Genereux) & Aloe (Fantastic Light-River Hill, by Danehill). Last year Laguna Salada won Italy's Listed Premio Coolmore (1500m) at San Siro, as well as also finishing 2nd in the Listed Premio Gino Mantovani (1500m) at San Siro & 3rd in the Listed Premio Vittorio Crespi (1200m) at San Siro. Overall she now has 3 wins & 4 placings from 8 starts.

Invincible Spirit (Green Desert-Rafha, by Kris) added a group success when front-running 4YO entire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit-Cannarelle, by Canny Lad) won the $100,000 Gr3 evright.com Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville. I Am Invincible (ridden by Jason Benbow for trainer Peter Morgan) defeated 3YO filly Augusta Proud (More Than Ready-Kadasha, by Langfuhr) & 6YO entire Blahnik (Jeune-Gift Bouquet, by King's High). I Am Invincible (a $62,500 yearling at the 2006 Inglis Classic Sale) took his record to 4 wins & a placing from 9 starts for $151,750 earnings.

Invincible Spirit (Green Desert-Rafha, by Kris) added a UK black-type success when Irish-bred 4YO gelding Staying On (Invincible Spirit-Lakatoi, by Saddlers' Hall) scored a front-running 0.75-length victory in the £40,000 (A$82,000) Listed Doncaster Mile (8 furlongs) for 4YOs & up at Doncaster. Staying On (ridden by Adam Kirby for trainer Walter Swinburn) defeated French-bred 4YO entire Unnefer (Danehill Dancer-Mimalia, by Silver Hawk) & Irish-bred 5YO gelding Dream Lodge (Grand Lodge-Secret Dream, by Zafonic). Staying On took his overall record to 4 wins & a runner-up (in 2008's UK Listed Hampton Court Stakes over 10 furlongs at Royal Ascot) from 9 starts for £111,553 (A$230,000) earnings.

Invincible Spirit (Green Desert-Rafha, by Kris) added a black-type success when 4YO entire Kargali (Invincible Spirit-Karliyka, by Last Tycoon) scored a 1.25-lengths victory in the €45,000 (A$85,000) Listed Heritage Stakes (8 furlongs) for males 4YOs & up at Leopardstown. Kargali (ridden by Mick Kinane for trainer John Oxx) defeated fellow 4YO entire Three Rocks (Rock Of Gibraltar-Top Crystal, by Sadler's Wells) & 5YO gelding Celtic Dane (Danetime-Quelle Celtique, by Tel Quel). At his previous start Kargali finished 3rd in Ireland's Gr3 Gladness Stakes (7 furlongs) at The Curragh on April 5 & overall now has 3 wins & 2 placings from 5 starts.

UK Tatts 2YOs Day-1: $484k Invincible Spirit Filly
Agent Jamie McCalmont paid 220,000 guineas (A$484,000) for a filly by former European Champion 1st Season Sire & Chatswood Stud shuttler Invincible Spirit (out of Alydar mare Tathkara) consigned by Paddy Twomey's Hawthorn Villa Stud in Ireland. The price represented a significant pin-hooking profit, having been purchased at the 2008 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 77,000 guineas (A$169,000).

Good Luck Gerald

Trainer Gerald Ryan has a great chance to win his first Golden Slipper this weekend with his star filly Melito (Redoute's Choice x Cloister (Marauding (NZ). She's a $21 chance as I write this and represents great value having won or finished second at her only three starts.

The wild card this year looks to be the state of the track. The rain is falling quite hard on our tin roof at the moment and the forecast is for more to come in the next few days. This may take the edge off speedy sprinters like More Joyous and favour those who later in their careers will be contesting an Oaks or a Derby.

Some argue that the Slipper has resulted in Australian breeders producing speedy squibs who don't race on but a soft track will make the Rosehill 1200m race like at least 100m more, so the winner this year will more than likely have a tough edge to him/her.

So best of luck to Gerald and Melito's owners. The KW team will be cheering for you.

In the money

Invincible Spirit progeny are having a good run of late in Australia. The last month has seen 19 starters in 29 races record 8 wins, 4 seconds and a third. Of the 29 starts, 22 were first five finishes.

Well earned rest

KW has succumbed to a stone bruise which was not responding to treatment and has been sent for a spell. All owners were expecting a bold showing at his sixth start but appreciate Gerald's 'no risks' approach and support his decision to end his first racing preparation rather than push on.

KW ran 4th, 4th, 5th, 5th and 3rd at his five starts and whilst still a maiden has already achieved more than many horses do in a racing career.

We are confident that when he returns he will be a more mentally and physically mature horse who proves to be a handy and hardy 'miler'.

Change of plans

KW has pulled up so well after his unlucky third at Hawkesbury it has been decided to postpone his spell and give him another chance to break his maiden status. He has been nominated for a 1400m Maiden at Hawkesbury next thursday. This will be his longest race to date and if they go a little slower early and he settles well then he may get a chance to show his stuff at the business end of the trip.

Eddie's Comment

"Saw the replay and I agree KW was stiff in not getting the run when Orphelia came out ahead of him. His 1st and last run this preparation were his best and consistent with his breeding. Mental and physical strengthening on hilly paddocks will do wonders for his large frame. It does look as if KW can run on all type of ground as well which is a bonus. Gerald has him sorted out and deserves 3 cheers! We must remember KW is VOBIS nominated so a preparation in Melbourne next time around could help syndicate play catchup in $stakes ( huge increases in prizemoney in Vic as of next month)."
Best regards
Eddie

A Good Third

He didn't win but it was not for lack of trying. KW showed more tenacity than in previous starts in coming from near the tail of the field to finish only just over a length from the winner.
The field was not strong and on form he looked a likely winner. Certainly someone thought so as they backed him in from $8.70 to $4.50 fav in the last few minutes of betting.

Graham's report summed it up nicely-

"A very good run from The Warrior today. Looked great and Gerald and Brad and the Team have done a good job with him. If he gets the run on the turn that the winner got, we win the race. Jay was a bit unlucky in that Orphelia got the run first and pushed in on us. As it was we were only beaten a length and we could have easy won by that length.

I would not be surprised if Gerald decides to give him a break now and we will have a very nice 1600m horse on our hands next prep. He is definitely a horse worth persevering with." Graham

HORSE PROGRESS NOTES

Just got this from Gerald-

KHAMSIN WARRIOR
20/01/09

Accepted up at Hawkesbury on Thursday 22nd January 2009

Does look better in himself and his work has improved, if the horse runs up to his work he'll be winning a maiden easy. After this race win, lose or draw I'd like to spell him and give him a good break of 8 to 10 weeks but will get over Thursday first.


3 - 2:25 HILLS NEWS MAIDEN HANDICAP (3)
1300 M
Of $16000. 1st $10400, 2nd $3200, 3rd $1600, 4th $800. Starter Subsidy: $200
for non-prize earning runners. MAIDEN. BOBS Bonus available: $5,000 Apprentices
can claim. Field Limit: 14+4 EM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. Horse Trainer Jockey Barr Wgt
1 Kirribilli John Holgate Blake Spriggs (a3) 2 58
2 Crowd Control Brian Firth Josh Adams (a3) 4 56
3 Greenfield Rise Garry White Tye Angland 8 55.5
4 Slippery Madam Anthony Cummings Grant Buckley 3 55.5
5 Super Samaurai Tommy Wong Kanichiro Fujii 1 55.5
6 Monte Rocket Vic Bates Craig Agnew 6 55
7 Benny da Loup Terance Rae Nathan Cumberland 10 54.5
8 In Private Lee Curtis Jeff Penza 13 54.5
9 Jewel King Rod Craig Glyn Schofield 9 54.5
10 Khamsin Warrior Gerald Ryan Jay Ford 11 54.5
11 Miss Reiby Noel Mayfield-Smith Jon Grisedale 7 54.5
12 Orphelia Gabrielle Englebrecht Ms Kathy O'Hara 5 54.5
13 Paddo Princess James Bester Nathan Berry (a2) 12 54.5

Put the Moet on ice..........

Start No. 5

Khamsin Warrior's fifth start will be in a 1300m maiden at Hawkesbury next Thursday, 22nd Jan.

KW's form made look good

Khamsin Warrior's fifth at Gosford has been put into perspective by fourth placegetter Soulima, who was only just caught on the line in the $100,000 MAGIC MILLIONS 3YO+ MDN PLATE over 1200m at the Magic Millions raceday at the Gold Coast track yesterday.
Soulima beat KW by only 0.4 lenghts at Gosford so on form his time must be near.