By Bren O'Brien
Mistress Mouse's success at Canterbury on Wednesday marked a 25th individual 2-year-old winner for I Am Invincible and the first leg of a training treble for her trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Mistress Mouse was one of four I Am invincible yearlings picked up by the combination of Reg Inglis, Jon Kelly and Paul Frampton at the 2018 Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale and she delivered at her fourth start over 1100m with an all-the-way success under jockey Jay Ford.
Waterhouse, who is back from an extended overseas trip, was rapt to have secured a victory for American-based owners Kelly and Frampton.
"It's a lovely breakthrough win for Mr Kelly and Mr Frampton. It’s so nice. She's been a difficult filly to train and she's had a lot of attitude," she said.
"Today with Jay in the saddle, he was patient with her, he took his time to get to the lead and he got her into a lovely rhythm. The boys and girls that have worked with them have done a terrific job."
"The boys and girls that have worked with them have done a terrific job." - Gai Waterhouse
"Adrian, most of all, it's all credit to him, I've been overseas enjoying myself."
Waterhouse also paid tribute to Inglis, who selected the filly as part of a multi-million spending spree by Kelly and Frampton on the Gold Coast in January last year.
"Reg has brought Mr Kelly and his family and friends to Australia and they have invested heavily and they love Australia and they love Australian racing, we are so lucky to have them," she said.
Mistress Mouse was the 25th individual 2YO winner for I Am Invincible
Ford was impressed with the filly but felt there was substantial improvement in her as she gets more experienced.
Mistress Mouse is out of Quack It (NZ) (Ustinov), who is the half-sister to stakes-winner Anatina (Fastnet Rock) and Pricked (Thorn Park) and has already produced the stakes-placed Quackerjack (Not A Single Doubt).
She becomes the 25th Australian 2-year-old winner for her sire this season, putting I Am invincible two clear of Snitzel in that department, while putting him one ahead of his great rival on overall winners on 180 for the season.
A race later, Waterhouse and Bott were celebrating another victory when Light Exceed (Exceed And Excel) led all the way in a BM74 over 1550m.
It was the filly's second win from six starts and was especially significant for Bott, who is on holiday, as his father Tony's farm, Evergreen Stud, bred and own Light Exceed.
The treble was completed by Race 4 when Ulusaba (Exceed And Excel) proved too tough over the 1900m in a Bm74 race.
It was the 3-year-old's third win in 12 starts as he held on by just 0.5l on the line under determined riding from Tim Clark.
Bjorn savours 2YO success
The opening race, an 1100m 2-year-old colts and geldings, was taken out by the Bjorn Baker-trained Savoury (NZ) (Savabeel) on debut.
Baker was delighted with what he saw from the colt, who was a NZ$200,000 buy from Book 1 of the NZB Sale at Karaka last year.
"There's a great bunch of owners in this horse, who have spent a fair bit of money on him. He's got a great pedigree and I've got a good opinion of him," Baker said.
He is out of stakes-placed mare Impulsive Dream (Encosta de Lago) from the family of Hillfa (Danehill {USA}) and Walk With Attitude (Hussonet {USA}).
"It’s good to see him win like that, and he's only going to get better the further he goes. I think once he gets over a mile, he's going to be a top-class horse," Baker said.
