The Mitchell family of Yarraman Park Stud are delighted to announce they have secured the services of brilliant sprinter I Am Invincible, who will stand at Yarraman Park in 2010.
“Obviously with Foreplay now infertile we needed a replacement and I Am Invincible is a horse Harry and I have followed since his two year-old days,” said Arthur Mitchell.
“He showed unbelievable speed from only a couple of starts as a juvenile, that talent realized later in his career with several spectacular wins and a gallant second to the great champion Takeover Target in the Group One Goodwood.
“His sire Invincible Spirit is regarded as one of the best in Europe and as such no longer shuttles to Australia, while his female family is full of good tough Australian winners and current stakes horses O’Lonhro and Madame Pedrille.”
Purchased as a yearling by Ray and Brett Gall, I Am Invincible made his debut with a five length thrashing of subsequent stakes-winner I Have No Fear over 1000 metres at Warwick Farm in February of 2007.
The performance convinced trainer Toby Edmonds to give him a crack at the A graders on a path to the Golden Slipper , so I Am Invincible lined up in the Group Three AJC Kindergarten Stakes over 1100 metres.
Drawn near the outside in a field of 14, I Am Invincible again showed brilliant speed to cross and sit in second place before finishing a game third to the eventual Golden Slipper winner Forensics.
Injured at his next start when down the track in the Group Two STC Todman Stakes, I Am Invincible was forced off the scene for a prolonged period, recapturing his best form as a four year-old for Victorian trainer Peter Morgan with brilliant wins in the Group Three SAJC DC McKay Stakes (1100 metres) and Listed MRC Sir John Monash Stakes (1100 metres) as well as that memorable second to Takeover Target in the Group One SAJC Goodwood Handicap beaten a length.
I Am Invincible retires with the overall record of five wins and two placings from 13 starts with prizemoney of $270,050.
“We always knew he was a very good looking horse, but you still want to see them first hand, so we flew to Melbourne to inspect the horse at Peter Morgan’s stables,” explained Mitchell.
“As soon as he came out of the box we were blown away, he is a magnificent horse… really masculine, strong and powerful with a lovely head and a great eye.
“We knew straight away he was a really exciting stallion prospect and would more than fit the bill at Yarraman.”
I Am Invincible is the best of the Australian bred progeny by Group One winning Green Desert sprinter Invincible Spirit (IRE), who commands a fee of 45,000 euros at the Irish National Stud.
Invincible Spirit is the versatile sire of 31 stakes-winners worldwide led by Group One winners Lawman (Prix Du Jockey Club, France), Vale of York (Breeders Cup Juvenile, USA) and Fleeting Spirit (Newmarket July Cup, UK).
I Am Invincible is from the unraced Canny Lad mare Cannarelle, whose dam Countess Pedrille is a full sister to former high class racemare Mamzelle Pedrille, a Group Two winner of the STC Theo Marks Stakes and dam of this season’s Group Two winner O’Lonhro.
The Gall family has enjoyed much success with Mamzelle Pedrille and her extended family over the years with the retirement of I Am Invincible to a stud career set to bring a new dimension to their involvement.
“Ray and Brett Gall are extremely happy to have the horse stand at Yarraman Park and we are sure this will lead to a long and fruitful association in the future,” Mitchell added.
A service fee for I Am Invincible will be announced in due course.
