Written by Georgie Dennis
Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible) confirmed her place at the top of this year’s crop of 3-year-old fillies with a third consecutive Group 2 win in the G2 Tea Rose S. at Randwick on Saturday.
Built-up as a two-horse race between Dame Giselle and fellow star 3-year-old Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}), the race panned out almost identically to their last-start clash in the G2 Furious S.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained filly was speedy out of the gates as per usual and settled in the second pair back during the run, racing keenly in the middle stages. Hungry Heart was in the next group back and when Dame Giselle got going, Hungry Heart was trapped for a run, eventually getting out and running on strongly to finish 0.5l away in second.
Frontrunner Vangelic (Vancouver) weakened in the final stages of the race but held on to finish 1.3l away in third, adding another black-type placing to her CV.
“I stood here two weeks ago and said it was pretty to watch. Today was even better,” Paul Snowden said. “Great ride by Tommy (Berry), afforded a good draw and she lobbed into a lovely spot.
“Just the turn of foot that she possesses when needed to, we were pretty confident that seven furlongs wasn’t going to be a problem today and she has won accordingly.”
Bred by China Horse Club, Dame Giselle has now won all three legs of the Princess Series, giving them a haul of three nominations to Darley stallions with the 1600 metre G1 Flight S. to go. Despite never having raced over a mile before, Paul Snowden thinks she is well and truly up to the task.
“On the dam side her mum was twice a winner at the mile,” he said. “Certainly there is a little bit of pedigree there to suggest she is going to run it.
“Certainly there is a little bit of pedigree there to suggest she is going to run it." - Paul Snowden
“She is an on-speed runner and with a similar turn of foot it will take her a long way.
“When you have a good filly this is what you aim at. We are lucky enough to win the first three legs of it. It’s been great.”
Purchased by Go Bloodstock for $500,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Sledmere Stud, Dame Giselle is the sixth foal to race out of multiple Group winner Ballet Society (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
She is a half-sister to Group 1 performer Cha Siu Bao (Smart Missile) and the Group placed stakes producer The Fairy’s Kiss (Elusive Quality {USA}).
Ballet Society is out of Centuria (NZ) (Centaine), making her a half-sister to dual New Zealand Group 1 winner Cent Home (NZ) (Lord Ballina).
Dame Giselle as a yearling
