Written by Jessica Owers
Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Ballarat’s synthetic meeting kicked off on Tuesday with the talented 2-year-old Mount Olympus, who became the 27th seasonal winner for his sire, Invader.
It was a victory full of merit, the colt clattering away by 7l under jockey Jamie Mott to break his maiden at the third time of asking. However, the devil was in the detail because Mount Olympus had fractured his pelvis back in October when running last to Zulfiqar (Exceed And Excel) in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial.
The colt had returned to racing on June 30 with a third-place finish in a Geelong maiden, capping it perfectly with a very strong maiden win on Tuesday over 1200 metres.
Mount Olympus is trained at Ballarat by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, in whose colours he races for an all-female syndicate that includes, among others, Di Grimley and Linda Huddy. The colt was purchased by McEvoy Mitchell Racing in partnership with Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“You look at most horses in a catalogue, and this colt struck us as a ripping type,” Gabbedy said, speaking to TTR AusNZ. “He was a powerful, muscular, well-built animal, and he looked like a real runner. He did everything right early, hence why we ran him in that early 2-year-old race (the Maribyrnong Trial).”
Mount Olympus looked to collide with the barriers when leaving the gates in the Maribyrnong Trial. It was a commendable effort to even finish, and he remained off the spring and autumn scene until his reappearance in late June.
“We thought he would run really well in the Maribyrnong,” Gabbedy said. “We were devastated when he came home last, thinking to ourselves that we couldn’t be that bad a judge and so on. But he pulled up with that fractured pelvis, so for him to get back on track is a really good testament to the horse’s attitude and ability.”
“We thought he (Mount Olympus) would run really well in the Maribyrnong. We were devastated when he came home last... But he pulled up with that fractured pelvis, so for him to get back on track is a really good testament to the horse’s attitude and ability.” - Damon Gabbedy
In many cases, horses don’t make it back to racing after an injury like that. Oftentimes, when they do, they associate the barriers with extreme discomfort.
However, Mount Olympus has been graced with the inside draw in both his starts since the Maribyrnong Trial, which may have helped his progress. Equally, he could just be the type of horse with class and temperament to deal with it all.
“You don’t get carried away with a Ballarat maiden on the synthetic, but the horse has always shown ability, hence running him in the Maribyrnong Trial last year,” Gabbedy said. “And he’s shown it today. Let’s hope he can stay sound because sometimes, when they have a bad experience at the races, you’re nervous that they won’t want to jump and run. But he’s overcome it all.”
“Let’s hope he (Mount Oluympus) can stay sound because sometimes, when they have a bad experience at the races, you’re nervous that they won’t want to jump and run. But he’s overcome it all.” - Damon Gabbedy
Mount Olympus ticked off his Tuesday win in 1:12.46. Jockey Jamie Mott told the post-race broadcast that it was an untapped victory.
“Seven lengths could have been 10 because I never got to the bottom of him,” he said. “He was impressive, and you could imagine he could go to something like a midweek at Sandown. He looked a good ride on paper and he has a deal of ability.”
A bit of Lonhro about him
Mount Olympus is from the second crop of Invader, a powerful son of Snitzel who stands at Aquis Farm. This spring, Invader will service his sixth book at a fee of $11,000 (inc GST).
Invader | Standing at Aquis Farm
Invader is so far the sire of stakes winner Sunshine In Paris, who won the G1 Surround S. this year. He has also produced a healthy number of winners this season, sitting comfortably inside the top 10 of Australia’s second-season sire table, currently led by Russian Revolution.
Mount Olympus was bred at Aquis Farm from the Lonhro mare Euryale, who is a stakes winner. She won the Listed Gibson Carmichael S. at Flemington as a 2-year-old when raced by Darley in its old maroon silks. In all, Eurydale won five races and was placed in seven across 30 starts.
Upon retirement, she went to Exceed And Excel twice before she was dispersed by Godolphin at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, bought by Rothwell Park for $150,000. Thereafter, she changed hands for $100,000 at the same sale in 2021 when bought by Paul Willetts and Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA).
Mount Olympus as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Mount Olympus was Eurydale’s fifth living foal, himself a half-sibling to two winners. There’s a good pedigree to him, with his dam a half-sister to Athena Lass (Snitzel), the dam of Profiteer. The stakes winners Unite And Conquer and Sweet Redemption (Snitzel) are also on this page.
“He looked like a very mature, early running type,” Gabbedy said of the yearling Mount Olympus, whom he picked up at the Classic Sale last year. “His dam is a Lonhro and she’s a stakes winner, and he’s a nearly black horse. He reminded us a bit of Lonhro, to be honest.
“Invader was a Group 1-winning 2-year-old, a powerful, muscular, medium-sized horse, so it was a nice combination between the two of them.”
“He (Mount Olympus) looked like a very mature, early running type. His dam (Euryale) is a Lonhro and she’s a stakes winner, and he’s a nearly black horse. He reminded us a bit of Lonhro, to be honest.” - Damon Gabbedy
Mount Olympus had been a weanling purchase before he made it to the Classic catalogue last year. At the 2021 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, he’d been sold by Duncan and Di Grimley’s Glastonbury Farms for $100,000 to Lionrock Bloodstock and Bevan Smith Bloodstock.
“We like buying out of running mares,” Gabbedy said. “We bought him on type, essentially, and we’ve been following his journey right along. I do some consulting for the McEvoy stable, so we’ve been on top of it all the way.
“He’s a ladies’ syndicate horse, so we were chasing that Inglis bonus initially. But he’s got a good group of women in him and it was very exciting to see him win today.”
Euryale was at Three Bridges Thoroughbreds for a time. She was sold via the Inglis Digital February (Late) Online Sale earlier this year to Stuart Watt for a song (just $1500), which is looking good buying now.
Euryale | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
After Mount Olympus, the mare had another colt by Invader and, last spring, a colt by Earthlight (Ire).
She won’t foal this upcoming breeding season, but her Invader yearling, a full brother to Mount Olympus, was passed in at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is currently unnamed with Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan.
Euryale's Earthlight weanling went to David Hanratty for $50,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale in May, each offered by Toby Liston and the Three Bridges team.
