The 2014 Group I MVRC William Reid Stakes was won by Australia’s hottest young sire in Spirit of Boom and the 2018 edition has given us another future sire prospect with victory going to the hugely talented I Am Invincible entire Hellbent.
Second in this race last year to Silent Sedition and third at his most recent outing in the Group I MRC Oakleigh Plate, the Darren Weir trained five year-old was fit and ready to fire for this 1200 metre test and delivered a career best performance.
Ridden cold by Craig Williams back in the field, Hellbent was full of running coming to the turn and although forced to make his run out wide loomed quickly into contention.
He unleashed down the straight with a dazzling turn of foot to reel in the leader Thronum and win by half a length in a slick 1:09.36, which went very close to bettering Miss Andretti and Malaguerra’s course record of 1:09.29.
“Darren and the owners said there was no other way to ride him,” Craig Williams said.
“He was good, he was decisive. He’s a lot more mature now. It was a very dominant win.”
Originally a $95,000 Inglis Classic purchase from the draft of Dartbrook Thoroughbreds, Hellbent started his career with Goulburn trainer Kurt Goldman before being transferred to Darren Weir in mid 2016 and now runs in the ownership of a partnership headed by Yarraman Park, who stand his illustrious sire.
“That was a great win. He’s a horse with enormous ability and is such a great sort so it’s good for him to get the result he deserves,” said Weir.
“All he needed was a bit of luck and he got that tonight.”
Despite being stakes-placed on numerous occasions, two of them in Group I races, Hellbent had not won a Black Type race until tonight.
The 29th stakes-winner for I Am Invincible, his overall record now stands at seven wins and seven placings from 23 starts with prizemoney in excess of $900,000.
Bred on a 3 x 3 double cross of Green Desert, Hellbent is the best of three winners from Volkaspray, who comes from the family of Kiwi triple Group I winner Viadana and Group winners Second Effort, Singing Star and Miss Selby.
Yarraman Park sold the yearling full brother to Hellbent at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where he made $260,000 to the bid of Darren Weir Racing.
Hellbent is the fourth Group I winner for I Am Invincible, who has three runners in the Golden Slipper on Saturday in Santos, Fiesta and Oohood.
I Am Invincible has 41 entries for the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
