Written by Bren O'Brien
The $1.1 million yearling filly Bewitchingly (I Am Invincible) looks headed towards some high-quality stakes races through the spring after overcoming significant trouble to break her maiden at Cranbourne on Sunday.
The 3-year-old filly, having her second start for trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman, missed the start and utilised every bit of jockey Craig Williams' skill and nous to navigate her way through the field but arrived in time to win the 1300-metre race in the manner of a good horse.
Bewitchingly had 0.3l to spare on the line over Semper Fortis (Tavistock {NZ}), who had her in a pocket for a significant portion of the race, only for her and Williams to engineer a way clear late. The well-supported Attractable (I Am Invincible) loomed as the likely winner at the top of the straight but was overwhelmed late and finished another 0.2l back in third.
The Segenhoe-bred filly, a sister to multiple Group winner Catch Me and descended from the legendary blue hen Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}), was expected to improve greatly on her 1.5l fifth at Geelong last month, and she did just that, albeit with a great deal yet to learn.
Freedman stable representative Brad Taylor was delighted with how the race ended up, although admitted to being a little worried when Bewitchingly jumped in the air at the start.
"It’s never ideal when they jump out of the barriers like that, especially around here where it can be hard to make ground. But Craig didn't panic, he got her in a nice spot and gave her plenty of room at the top of the straight and she showed her true ability," he said.
"Her work during the week leading into this was very good, she showed a nice turn of foot in her work and has shown us that all the way through."
"Her (Bewitchingly) work during the week leading into this was very good, she showed a nice turn of foot in her work and has shown us that all the way through." - Brad Taylor
Bewitchingly holds nominations for both the G1 Golden Rose S. and the G1 Thousand Guineas, giving some indication of the esteem she is held in by her connections, which are headed by Coolmore. Taylor feels there is significant improvement to come from the filly through her campaign.
"I thought when I was saddling here that there's nice improvement to come. She’ll enjoy it when the weather fines up a bit, and this racing will certainly bring her on. How far we get this preparation, we certainly don’t know, we will take her race by race and she has to step up to 64 grade now," he said.
"It is tough for those 3-year-old fillies, there aren’t a hell of a lot of 3-year-old races at that level for those horses, so we will have to place her right and hopefully she can go onto it."
Coolmore Australia Principal Tom Magnier was the winning bidder for Bewitchingly when she was offered through Segenhoe's draft at the COVID-impacted Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in 2020, where she was the highest-priced filly.
Bewitchingly during her education process
Her dam, Captivating Claire (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), has proven a remarkably successful commercial broodmare. Of her five yearlings through the sales to date, three of them have brought seven figures. The two I Am Invincible colts Valiant and Captivare cost $1.6 million and $1.4 million apiece.
Catch Me, who cost $625,000 as a yearling, has proven by far the best of her progeny in the track to date, having won a G3 Gimcrack S. and a G3 Blue Diamond Preview. Owned by Yulong, she is in foal to Alabama Express.
Their grandam, Markisa (NZ) (Danehill {USA}), is a stakes-placed three-quarter sister to Danewin and Commands, while her dam, Marquise (NZ) (Gold And Ivory {USA}) is a Group 1-winning half-sister to Octagonal (NZ).
