Star Thoroughbreds' Invincibella returned to form to take her earnings to over $2 million as she defended her title in Saturday's Group II Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm.
Given the run of the race by James McDonald, the daughter of I Am Invincible led home three of the first four places for the Chris Waller stable. She defeated the Toby Edmonds-trained Platinum Angel (Snitzel) by a long neck with a half-length to Waller's 2017 Dane Ripper winner Prompt Return (Beneteau), third ahead of fast-finishing stablemate Noire. (image Racing Queensland)
Waller said all three would all head to the Group 1 Tatt's Tiara at Eagle Farm in a fortnight.
"She's been struggling for form this prep we thought age may be catching up with her, but to come back to a familiar race and it looks like she's back on track," Waller said.
"Her grand final is in two weeks with the Tatts Tiara, which Prompt Response and Noir will also head towards and that's a good confidence boost for her ahead of a Group 1.
"Invincibella raced very well in the spring last year and then won the Magic Millions fillies and mares race.
"But she wasn't suited by wet tracks in the autumn in Sydney and back on a dry track today she was always going to be hard to beat."
The 5yo mare advances her overall record to 10 wins, 8 seconds and 4 thirds from 37 starts with earnings of $2,163,303.
A $185,000 Magic Millions purchase for Star Thoroughbreds from the Sledmere Stud draft, Invincibella is a half-sister to Listed stakes-winner Secret Blaze and is the first foal of unraced Galileo (IRE) mare Abscond, who comes from the family of Group I winner The Hind.
Abscond produced a colt by Extreme Choice last year and was then covered by Spirit of Boom.
