Explosive Gaby impresses in William Reid
Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and owners Phoenix Thoroughbreds had the perfect lead-in to today’s Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), in which they combine with Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Prague (Redoute’s Choice), when their superstar filly Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) scored a second top-level triumph in the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Moonee Valley last night.
Loving Gaby won her first Group 1 at the same track and trip in the Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) in October and had proven herself one of the most consistent sprinters in the country, finishing in the placings at her three subsequent starts at Flemington in the VRC Sprint Classic (Gr 1, 1200m), the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) and the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m).
This time around, she eye-balled race favourite and last-start Newmarket winner Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) on the speed, putting him to the sword on turning before holding off the late surge of Lightning winner Gytrash (Lope De Vega) to win by a length and a quarter. Bivouac held down third.
“Phoenix Thoroughbreds has been a great supporter of the stable and it’s great to get another Group 1 for them and, in particular, another Group 1 with her,” co-trainer Maher said.
“She’s run so many placings and she’s been so honest. There’s just something about The Valley that she seems to love. Last time, she was looking for the bend down the straight.
“Craig Williams, too, what a brilliant ride. I thought the key to this race was the start, he had to be quite forceful to get into the spot he did and that proved all the difference. She travelled quite well and then Bivouac, he started to fade on the corner. He’s a high-quality horse but it was her night. It’s been a great job by the team to keep her going.”
For Williams, his 58th Group 1 win provoked a unique feeling as he admitted that it was “surreal” with no crowd on hand and no celebratory scenes.
“This is the strongest William Reid Stakes we’ve seen in years,” he said. “I feel privileged to be her jockey. I was confident in my girl and, when Pippie didn’t cross, I thought it was going to be down to the two class three-year-olds to fight it out.
“I’ll thank her for her performance, there’s not many horses that you could ride at this elite level that you could push from the gates, take a sit on and then ask to accelerate and stick on as determinedly as she did tonight. She was just brilliant.”
Williams continued: “It was surreal, though. Nobody embraced, but it’s the way that it is. We’re just grateful that we can still compete and hopefully keep this industry going as long as possible. We’ve got some strict protocols in place which have been a bit demanding, but it’s nothing compared to being able to perform tonight.
“I know it is a hard time for everyone. It’s been a tough week because we’ve been trying to manage everyone’s situation, but we’re all banding together as well.”
Maher suggested that Loving Gaby was not merely a sprinter and would likely progress to Sydney and to the TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) for her next run.
“I think she’s a very good, tough horse and I think you could train her for whatever trip,” he said. “She showed plenty of potential at two but when she came back as a three-year-old she was very sharp and she learnt how to be a racehorse.
“The TJ has always been the plan and she loves racing. Her third and fourth runs in her preps, she really trains on. If she pulls up well, we’ll definitely look at that.
“I’d also suggest that the Golden Eagle wouldn’t be out of her grasp later in the year. Sunlight ran well in the Eagle last year and Loving Gaby has been to a mile so it could fit her quite nicely.”
South Australian raider Gytrash backed up his Lightning win and his Newmarket third with a valiant runner-up performance at his Valley debut.
“I’m very proud of him,” said trainer Gordon Richards. ”He didn’t handle the corner all that well and he does that on most corners, he scrambles around them. I thought he had them on the corner but the other one just kicked, she’s a quality filly.
“It’s tempting to go to the Goodwood back at home but we have to think about it – we need racing to keep going first!”
Purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds for $500,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Loving Gaby (3 f I Am Invincible – Maastricht by Mastercraftsman) has now won four of her 12 starts, placing on a further six occasions, for prize-money of $2,281,250.
She is one of nine top-tier winners for Yarraman Park Stud’s flagbearer I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), a roll call that also includes Brazen Beau, Viddora and Invincibella.
The first foal for Maastricht (Mastercraftsman), Loving Gaby’s dam was sold to Coolmore and James Bester Bloodstock for $2.25 million at Inglis’ The Chairman’s Sale last year carrying a full sibling to Loving Gaby.
Four times stakes-placed and a half-sister to the Goodwood Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Velocitea (Volksraad) and Listed winner Weaponry (Declaration Of War), Maastricht was subsequently mated with Coolmore’s US Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) in November.