Yarraman Park’s top class sire I Am Invincible produced his sixth Australian stakes-winner this season when speedy three year-old filly Eckstein won the Listed BRC Mode Plate at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Eckstein is trained by Kurt Goldman, who has enjoyed previous success with I Am Invincible having prepared brilliant speedster Hellbent before he was transferred to Darren Weir. With smart wins at her past two starts at Rosehill and Randwick, Eckstein was in top form headed into her first Black Type event and produced a career best performance. She led throughout from an outside gate and fought on doggedly to win the 1200 metre sprint by half a neck, her third win from six starts with prizemoney now topping $200,000. Eckstein was ridden by Heather Poland, the partner of Kurt Goldman, who gave her most of the credit for the win. “Heather has been with her on the Gold Coast and done all the work with her, Goldman said. ‘ “Eckstein can be hard to handle but Heather knows her and that is why she rides her in her races.’ “It was probably a bonus when the Mode Plate was called off last week because Eckstein didn’t travel well and had been off her feed. But she picked up this week.” Poland will retain the ride on Eckstein as she progresses towards the rich Magic Millions raceday in January. Goldman said Eckstein would stay on the Gold Coast and tackle either the Magic Millions Guineas or the Magic Millions fillies and mares race on January 14. The filly is likely to have her lead-up race in the Group III Vo Rogue Plate on December 31. Eckstein was a $165,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Vinery Stud draft for Australian Bloodstock and is the best of three winners from unraced Choisir mare Comrie, a grand-daughter of multiple Group I winner Canny Lass from the family of Group I stars such as Sepoy, Canny Lad, Camarena and Guelph. She is the 17th stakes-winner for I Am Invincible, who has soared to new heights this year to hold down a Top 10 position on the Australian General Sires List by earnings and winners. I Am Invincible has 47 entries for Magic Millions and 28 for Inglis Classic.
