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 Group III 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 Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes now that she has found peak form, although 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, she 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 big team of owners that include 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.
Bought as a broodmare prospect for $1.1million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2015, Villa Verde is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group II winner Doubtland and stakes-winner Pretty Fast tracing back to the family of Golden Slipper winners Rory’s Jester and Ha Ha.
Villa Verde has no yearling for the sales next year, but has foaled this spring producing a colt by Ole Kirk.
