New Zealand – Promising three year-old The Justice League was set a task when resuming from a spell in the Listed Northland Breeders Stakes at Ruakaka on Saturday, but the talented son of I Am Invincible emerged triumphant. The Nigel Tiley-trained gelding went into the 1200 metre sprint without the benefit of a trial and he had to overcome a horror alley against a competitive field of Guineas hopefuls. “He had to work hard from the outside gate and he really stuck to his guns,” successful jockey Michael Coleman said. The Justice League had to be ridden aggressively from the barrier to sit outside the leader Billy Mojo before he had that runner’s measure into the straight. “Halfway down I was still quite confident and he started to shorten up the last bit, but he kicked again when the others came at him,” Coleman said. “He’s a really promising horse and that was a strong field.” The Justice League showed his fighting qualities under pressure to hold off the late charge of Selfie with Rocanto also rounding off strongly for third. “It was a great effort and we didn’t think he was fully tuned up for this, but there wasn’t much else around to kick him off in,” said Lee Tiley, wife of trainer Nigel. The Justice League’s main aim this year is the Group I Sothys New Zealand 2000 Guineas and his connections are confident he will cope with the Riccarton mile. “I think so, the way he works he feels like he will get over ground,” Tiley said. A half-brother to Group II placed Vive La Difference, The Justice League was a $50,000 NZB Select Sale purchase from the draft of Lyndhurst Stud and is the best of three winners from Peintre Celebre (USA) mare L’artiste, a grand-daughter of stakes-winner Jewel in the Crown. This is the family of international Group I winner Sterling City and Group winners So Gorgeous, Tipungwuti and Wild Queen tracing back to the Denise’s Joy family. The Justice League is the ninth stakes-winner for I Am Invincible, who is covering a full book at a fee of $55,000 at Yarraman Park this spring.
