Cover image courtesy of Yarraman Park Stud
We may only be one month into the new season, but there is no doubting that I Am Invincible has flown the gates and set a frantic early tempo in his bid to secure a third Champion Sire title in succession.
The Yarraman Park-based stallion has sired more winners and more stakes winners than any other stallion in Australia so far this season, and he looks to have another top-class 3-year-old filly on his hands in the shape of Tiz Invincible, who made it two stakes wins on the bounce with a stylish success in Saturday’s G2 Furious S. at Royal Randwick.
Bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly spearheaded a nine-timer on the day for I Am Invincible, whilst also becoming the latest of his progeny to go onto major-race success having been born, raised and sold on the luscious, undulating paddocks of Segenhoe Stud.
The beautifully bred filly hails from one of the most progressive families in the Studbook and was a standout from day dot according to Segenhoe’s General Manager Peter O’Brien, who was left scratching his head as to how she didn’t fetch more money when offered for auction at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“She was probably in the top three foals born on the farm that year and she just continued to blossom and improve as she matured,” O’Brien said.
“She ended up being quite a big filly and then Anamoe jumped into the pedigree, so we went to (Inglis) Easter full of tally ho thinking we were going to get seven figures plus for her, and for whatever reason, she got passed-in in the ring.
Peter O'Brien | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Her vet was clear and everything. It was probably one of the biggest shocks I’ve had at a sale, because we were so confident that she would make seven figures.
“I think maybe people thought she was just a bit big and raw as a yearling. She had a beautiful action, which is unusual for I Am Invincibles, but she stood out for me.”
Much to O’Brien’s relief, Tiz Invincible was snapped up a matter of moments after she passed in at the sale, with Bahen Bloodstock, Astute Bloodstock (FBAA), prominent owner Eric Lucas and Ciaron Maher Racing teaming up to secure her for $550,000.
Tiz Invincible as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Pitched into Group company on her very first start, the daughter of I Am Invincible wasted no time in providing her connections with a return on their investment, finishing a promising fourth on debut in the G3 Black Opal S. before earning valuable black type at the second time of asking when runner-up in the G2 Percy Sykes S.
Put away with a view to her 3-year-old campaign, Tiz Invincible resumed last month with a breakthrough success in the Listed The Rosebud S. against the colts, a victory which not only signalled that she was in for a good preparation, but also that her connections had sourced themselves an extremely valuable filly.
“I can’t imagine what she’s worth now - a Group 2-winning I Am Invincible filly out of a Redoute’s (Choice) half-sister to Anamoe - it beggars belief!” O’Brien added.
“She was such a big, rangy yearling that anything she showed at two was going to be a bonus. As we all know, Vinnies generally aren’t 2-year-olds and they just blossom when they get to three and four, so the sky's the limit for her.
“Just listening to David Eustace talking about her, he said on Friday that she was their best 3-year-old, which says a lot. It’s all ahead of her.
“Just listening to David Eustace talking about her (Tiz Invincible), he said on Friday that she was their best 3-year-old, which says a lot. It’s all ahead of her.” - Peter O’Brien
“I know Jussie (Bahen) and Eric (Lucas) very well and I’m just delighted for them and all the other owners. I’m delighted also for Phoenix Thoroughbreds, who are great supporters of the farm. They’ve had a lot of luck with us and I think Amulatem is going to be a foundation mare for them.”
A match made in heaven
The dust had barely settled on Tiz Invincible’s latest success when the I Am Invincible-sired and Segenhoe-raised combination almost struck again in the following race, with multiple Group 1-winning mare In Secret (I Am Invincible) just failing to reel in talented 5-year-old Remarque (Snitzel) in a thrilling finish to the G3 Concorde S.
Purchased by Godolphin for $900,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2021, In Secret is another who spent her formative years in the Segenhoe Valley, and O’Brien is confident that the James Cummings-trained mare is in for a big spring preparation.
“If you were reading what James Cummings said before the race, he warned punters that she would be finishing the race off hard, and it basically went exactly as he alluded to,” O’Brien said.
“Interestingly enough everyone always comments about her coat, but she had that similar, backward, dry sort of coat as a yearling. She’s always had that, so that wouldn’t concern me.
“On that run today she is a serious, serious contender for The Everest, and I assume that Godolphin will head that way with their slot.”
In Secret was bred by Segenhoe in conjunction with Michael and Siobhan Christian of Longwood Farm - the breeders and co-owners of star mare Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), whom In Secret pipped into third in Saturday’s $1 million contest.
In Secret winning the G1 Newmarket H. | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Somewhat unsurprisingly given In Secret’s abundant talent, her dam Eloping (Choisir) is once again booked to visit I Am Invincible this season, but not before she foals a full sibling to the G1 Newmarket H. heroine in the coming weeks.
Much to O’Brien’s delight, Eloping already has an I Am Invincible filly on the ground at Segenhoe, and the studmaster is relishing the prospect of selling the regally-bred filly at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.
“We have a full sister to In Secret going to Magic Millions, who is quite a different type - she has the same sort of quality but is a lot stronger,” he said.
“We have a full sister to In Secret going to Magic Millions, who is quite a different type - she has the same sort of quality but is a lot stronger.” - Peter O'Brien
“As a yearling In Secret was quite effeminate, whereby this filly is more colt-like and is probably a better mover than she was as well.
“Obviously, we are incredibly excited to present her. If she doesn’t make her money I’ll give it away!
“At any sale you go to you’ll always get a surprise, some good some bad. It’s the joys and sorrows of auctions, but I don’t think we’ll have any doubts with In Secret’s sister in January.”
In Secret as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
As luck would have it, one of O’Brien’s biggest surprises at auction also managed to get his head in front on Saturday, with the Tony Gollan-trained Zarastro (I Am Invincible) the horse in question.
A $1.05 million graduate from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2020, Zarastro looked to be on the cusp of becoming another Segenhoe-raised success story for I Am Invincible after winning two of his first three starts for trainer Chris Waller, before losing his way slightly last year.
Zarastro, who was bred by John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds, was subsequently purchased by Tony Gollan Racing for $32,500 on Inglis Digital and looks to have found a new lease of life up in Queensland, winning his last two starts in decisive fashion for the state’s champion trainer.
Despite fetching seven figures as a yearling, O’Brien recalls being left somewhat disheartened when the gavel came down at $1.05 million for Zarastro, having expected the son of G2 Light Fingers S. heroine Adrift (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) to make a great deal more.
“Again, he was a beautiful yearling, he made a million-fifty, but funnily enough he was probably my greatest ever disappointment at a horse sale, because I thought he’d make two million - truly!” O’Brien recalled.
“I just couldn’t believe it, because he was so popular and red hot, but he’s always been an adonis. He’s obviously had some issues as a young horse, which have been ironed out, and I think gelding him has probably been the biggest assistance for him, because he was a big, heavy horse.
“He’s (Zarastro) obviously had some issues as a young horse, which have been ironed out, and I think gelding him has probably been the biggest assistance for him, because he was a big, heavy horse.” - Peter O'Brien
“Tony (Gollan) has done a great job with him in Brisbane and we’re hoping and praying that he can continue to improve and get black type, because we have a full brother to him - who is as good-looking as him - going to the sales next year.
“He’s a late foal and at the moment we’re in a quandary as to which sale we go to with him, but I would say he will probably end up going to (Inglis) Easter, just because of his birth date. John Camilleri owns the mare and we’ll keep in touch with him to decide.”
‘He’s just a phenomenon’
Zarastro, In Secret and Tiz Invincible are just the latest trio in a long list of recent success stories for Segenhoe Stud, success which O’Brien attributes to the continued support from “great owners, terrific breeders and a longstanding and devoted team”, the latter of which is headed by stud manager Brian Clarke.
All three horses also happen to be by I Am Invincible - another major source of success for Segenhoe over the years with the likes of Holyfield, Barbaric, Fake Love and Catch Me other Segenhoe-bred stakes winners by the rags-to-riches sensation.
Unsurprisingly, O’Brien could not be more effusive in his praise for the record-breaking stallion.
I Am Invincible | Standing at Yarraman Park Stud
“What can you say about him, he is just a phenomenon,” O’Brien said of I Am Invincible.
“The best way I can describe him is that he’s the only stallion I can ever remember that if you send 10 mares to him, the odds are that you’ll get nine very good-looking horses. It’s extraordinary how consistent he is at throwing quality animals.
“There are few horses in my lifetime that can get you a sales horse and also convert to proper racehorses. Danehill was a bit patchy as far as what types he would throw, but they all ran, however with I Am Invincible they’re like peas in a pod - you can walk through a field and pick them a mile away, which is what I love.
“... with (progeny of) I Am Invincible they’re like peas in a pod - you can walk through a field and pick them a mile away, which is what I love.” - Peter O'Brien
“A lot of people were saying that he was a sire of fillies and then the last few years he’s come out with the likes of Home Affairs, and there will be more colts to come out and debunk that theory as well.”
O’Brien was also quick to highlight the soundness and uncomplicated nature of I Am Invincible’s stock, before joking that he wished he could send all of his mares to the all-conquering sire.
“We’ve bred a lot of mares to him, and another interesting thing which I looked up is that every yearling we’ve had by him has been a grade one in the throat and had x-rays with no issues,” he added.
“We’ve bred a lot of mares to him (I Am Invincible), and another interesting thing which I looked up is that every yearling we’ve had by him has been a grade one in the throat and had x-rays with no issues.” - Peter O'Brien
“They’re good-looking, they’ve got great minds and temperaments, they’re bombproof animals, they’re durable and they’re gifted.
“People give out about high service fees, but he’s one horse that I think deserves a high fee, because he’s the one horse that consistently gets you results in the ring.
“He’s a breeder's dream.”
Winners everywhere
Currently sitting on 98 and counting, I Am Invincible is closing in on a century of individual stakes winners, which is no mean feat for a stallion who has never shuttled to the Northern Hemisphere despite a healthy and constant demand for his services north of the equator.
His reach is being felt far and wide in Australia, however, with his nine winners on Saturday coming across four different states, and on what was a remarkable afternoon for the stallion, his growing prowess as a broodmare sire was also seen to great effect courtesy of G3 McCafe S. winner Asfoora (Flying Artie) and G2 Furious S. runner-up Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}).
With so many high-class I Am Invincible fillies around, Yarraman Park co-director Arthur Mitchell is confident that the son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) will continue to forge a reputation in that sphere over the coming years.
“I’d have thought he is absolutely guaranteed to be a good broodmare sire and he’s already starting to become a good broodmare sire out of these lesser-bred ones,” Mitchell told TTR AusNZ.
“Obviously, he’s getting very good mares now and most of them are good-looking, so the daughters are going to throw good looking stock.
Arthur Mitchell | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Hopefully it will only improve and he’s going to cover a full book of 150 odd mares of pretty high quality again this year.
“He seems fit, healthy and well and hopefully we can keep him that way.”
By no means a one-man band
Having already established himself a record-breaking Champion Sire and a burgeoning broodmare sire, Vinnie is also starting to make his mark as a sire of sires, with his Group 1-winning son and Yarraman Park barnmate Hellbent also enjoying a stellar Saturday with his progeny.
The G1 William Reid S. hero was provided with his third Group winner courtesy of the Jason Warren-trained Benedetta, who got the better of last-start stakes winner Parisal (Astern) in the G3 Cockram S. at Caulfield and enhanced her already impressive record to six wins and two placings from eight career starts.
Benedetta, winner of the G3 Cockram S. on Saturday | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Additional winners at Hawkesbury and the Gold Coast made it a treble on the day for Hellbent, who like his sire will have the book full sign proudly displayed for the remainder of the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
The same can be said of the newest addition to the Yarraman Park roster, Brave Smash (Jpn), who has reportedly attracted plenty of attention since it was announced that the dual Group 1-winning sprinter would be relocating to the Hunter Valley from his previous base at Aquis Farm in Queensland.
Saturday’s G2 Furious S. placegetter Kimochi has undoubtedly played a huge part in that and looks every inch a Group winner in waiting for her sire, having already placed in both the G2 Silver Shadow S. and G3 Percy Sykes S. prior to her eye-catching second behind Tiz Invincible over the weekend.
Gallery: I Am Invincible's barnmates at Yarraman Park Stud
Brave Smash welcomed another first-crop winner at Hawkesbury on Saturday in the shape of Smashing Dancer, and with three stakes horses and a G1 Blue Diamond fourth from just 33 runners to date, Mitchell is confident that Yarraman has secured itself a stallion with huge upside.
“Kimochi was brilliant in the fillies' race and we’re very excited about Brave Smash at the moment,” Mitchell said.
“It’s always important for stallions to have a flag-bearer along the line and there’s no reason why she can’t be that for Brave Smash.
“It’s always important for stallions to have a flag-bearer along the line and there’s no reason why she (Kimochi) can’t be that for Brave Smash.” - Arthur Mitchell
“He’s another who has been fully booked for a long while and he’s also got a pretty high-class book of mares this year.
“There has been a lot of support for him and there’s very good talk around him. Hopefully with the book of mares we are giving him this year we think we have given him a very good chance to be a very decent stallion.”
