Sicilian (AUS)
Sicilian (AUS)
2 f I Am Invincible – Pursuits by Lonhro
O: Mr F W Cook, GW Holdings, Mr R N Norris, Mr R Cattle, Mrs C M Cook, Ms B L Cook, Mr T Needham, Mr S Bacon, Mr D R Fleming, Gee Racing, Just Fun Racing, Mrs S C Murdoch, Sheffield Racing, Silvertail, Mr M J Murdoch
B: Yarraman Park Stud Pty Ltd, HG & MG Cope
T: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
S: 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale V: Yarraman Park Stud P: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds, $650,000
W: Precise Air Plate, 1150m, July 5, Kensington
As anyone who has ever been to a restaurant in Sicily will know, its food entices at a first glance of the menu, grows with temptation from its smell, but you’ll have to be patient before being served with the glorious end result.
It is perhaps apt, therefore, that the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly by the name of Sicilian (I Am Invincible) has followed a somewhat similar trajectory.
Sicilian was all class in landing a belated maiden success on the Kensington track at Randwick on Wednesday, leading from the front to pulverise her opposition in a one-and-a-half-length triumph over King Of Dubai (Pride Of Dubai).
But it is a win that has been almost ten months in the making, the filly promising much in September with a length-and-a-half official trial session win over Learning To Fly (Justify), enough for her to be sent off the second favourite for the two-year-old season-opening Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) on October 1.
Two more trial wins whetted the appetite in January, followed by a runner-up finish in the Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m) the following month. Again made to wait before tasting victory, Sicilian was sent for a spell before returning in June for another second-placed effort at Gosford, but duly satisfied the palate with her all-the-way win in Wednesday’s 1150-metre maiden plate.
Her breakthrough success out the way, Waterhouse and Bott are eyeing spring goals for their $650,000 buy, who was the second maiden-winning filly in the space of seven days for their Valerie Syndicate.
Sicilian is the training partnership’s 33rd two-year-old win of the season, a number level with James Cummings at the top of that chart.
“We’re very fortunate, we’ve got some lovely stock behind us this year,” Bott said.
“Hopefully that stands up well going forward into the three-year-old season. We expect them to train on nicely and this filly in particular.
“There are a couple of nice targets if we can hold her together for the remainder of the winter, she can go into the spring fresh and have some nice targets early.”
Purchased in conjunction with Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Yarraman Park Stud draft, Sicilian is the third winner from as many foals out of the Lonhro (Octagonal) mare Pursuits, who finished third in both the Blue Diamond Preview (Gr 3, 1000m) and Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) as a juvenile.
A daughter of Group 3 runner-up Montmelo (Viscount), Pursuits is a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Jorda (Exceed And Excel). Pursuits has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), a weanling filly by Bivouac (Exceed And Excel), and was most recently covered by Home Affairs (I Am Invincible).