Chris Waller’s five-year-old mare Invincibella was too good at Eagle Farm on Saturday claiming a second consecutive win in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m) in the lead up to next fortnight’s Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m).
Installed as an $8.50 chance prior to the jump, jockey James McDonald established inside position third from the fence before moving up down the straight to win by a short half head. The races slow tempo suited the pair perfectly, leaving Invicibella’s turn of foot to work its magic over the final furlong with second place-getter Platinum Angel challenging late.
“She’s a mighty mare alright, she tries her best and that’s all you can ask for,” McDonald said after the race.
“Her work has been a bit lacklustre, but she obviously saves it for race day. Chris and his team have done a mighty switching a few gear changes around to keep her stimulated and keep her mind on the job.”
Invincebella ran with the blinkers on on Saturday after running sixth in the Group 3 Moreton Stakes (1300m) a fortnight ago on the same track. The now four-time Group 2 winner hopes to make up for last year’s disappointment in the Tatts Tiara when fifth at Doomben from a wide draw.
“They did crawl and that suited her, she jumped well and I was tempted to take her up, but I thought if I could get her to follow the whole way she’d give a bit of kick and that’s what she did” McDonald went on to say following Saturday’s win.
Invincibella has now firmed into $9.00 with Ladbrokes.com.au for the June 22 race behind last week’s Kingsford Smith Cup second place-getter Princess Posh ($7.50) and last month’s Moreton Stakes winner Savatiano ($5.50).
Waller went on to say a Group 1 win would be the perfect ending to the five-year-old’s career.
“She’s come on at the right time of year, she’s been a bit out of form I guess you could say, but good track and I think we were missing a bit during the Autumn on those wet tracks. She’s a multiple Group 2 winner and if we can get a Group 1 in two weeks time she’ll close out her career in style.”
A $185,000 purchase at 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Invincibella has now won more than $2.1 million in prizemoney for connections, making her one of the highest earning runners for her Yarraman Park Stud-based sire.
Image: Michael McInally