Making her debut against the colts in the Listed MRC Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday, I Am Invincible filly Ebhaar lived up to expectation when she scored a stylish victory in fast time.
Emirates Park had a stakes double on the day with their other homebred filly Enthaar also successful at Caulfield, click to read about her.
Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, Ebhaar tuned up for this assignment with a trial win at Randwick on October 29 and was well fancied to challenge race favourite Brereton, who won the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington.
She jumped fast from the outside for Damien Oliver and travelled up to sit outside the leader and was strong to the line.
She repelled a challenge from Boldinho to win by three-quarters of a length in 56.92 seconds with a strong tail wind helping her cause, while Brereton faded to finish fourth.
“Very precocious filly. She began a little awkwardly, but showed good speed and travelled well,” said Damien Oliver.
“The second horses probably got a head or even a neck on her in the straight, so she did a good job to come back and win nicely.”
A homebred for Emirates Park, Ebhaar is a half-sister to Group III placed Shotmaker and metro winner Sienna Rose being from Maroon Bay, a three-quarter sister by Exceed and Excel to dual Group I winner Merchant Navy, Group II winner Jolie Bay and stakes-winner Setanta.
Maroon Bay was bought by Emirates Park for $370,000 from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2015 and has produced five foals for Emirates the most recent a colt by Brazen Beau born in September.
Ebhaar is the 68th stakes-winner for Yarraman Park’s champion sire I Am Invincible.
