Champion sire I Am Invincible was flexing at Flemington on Saturday with top-class colt Vinrock taking out the Listed VRC Exford Plate, followed straight after by flying grey filly My Gladiola, who beat a big field of fleet-footed rivals to win the Listed VRC Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m).

Trained by John McArdle and ridden by Jamie Mott, My Gladiola took plenty of benefit from her first-up second in the G3 MRC Quezette Stakes last month and stripped a fitter filly this time around.

Drawn the outside, she settled back in the field and let down with a brilliant turn of foot to strike the front with 100m to run and had enough left to win by a neck over the late closer Akaysha.

John McArdle is hatching a plan to pit the flying grey against the colts in the G1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes now that she has found peak form, although he believes there is still improvement to come.

“I mean, she is a little bit like her trainer, she carries a bit of condition and still did today, and she got a bit wound up when she first got here, she’s never been here before,” he said.

“She probably got a bit looky when she hit the front. Just early, from the bad gate, she didn’t find the cover that we wanted. She switches off when she finds cover, but she did pull pretty hard. So there’s good improvement in her.”

“I think maybe in the autumn she’ll be a 1,400 metre horse, but for now, myself, Luke Wilkinson from Kia Ora, Paul Johnson and Brent Clayton all sat down and worked out a plan with her and so far, so good.”

“She was unlucky in the Quezette. She’s won here today, so the plan will be to take the colts on in the Danehill (G2). That’s why she came here, to get a look down the straight, and then if she acquits herself well enough against the colts, we’ll head to the Coolmore (G1).”

Bred and sold by Kia Ora Stud, My Gladiola was purchased by Redgum Racing for $550,000 from Inglis Easter and with two wins and two seconds from five starts has already banked nearly $400,000 in prizemoney for a big team of owners that includes Kia Ora, who retained an interest in the likable grey.

She is the fifth winner from seven foals to race from Villa Verde and is the first to gain Black Type.