The first group race of the new Australian season, the G2 Missile S., took place at Randwick on Saturday, and trainer Kris Lees filled the quinella with the 4-year-old mare Invincible Gem (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) and Group 1 winner Le Romain (Aus) (Hard Spun). The pair traveled in tandem, with 11-2 shot Invincible Gem on the inside, about 2 1/2 lengths off the lead through the opening stages of the 1200 metre event. Peeling wide for running room coming off the turn, Corey Brown aboard Invincible Gem moved to the outside of favoured Le Romain turning into the straight. She needed the length of the stretch to hit top gear but got down to it when it counted, putting her head in front approaching the 50 metre mark and drawing away to win by a comfortable 1 1/4 lengths. Invincible Gem had won the G3 Spring S. at Randwick on Feb. 13 and was last seen finishing second in the G1 Randwick Guineas on Mar. 4. Lees told Racenet.com.au her chief spring goal will be the G1 Myer Classic.
“You never know how these 3-year-old fillies are going to come back in the early spring but she's come back in terrific order,” Lees said. “She's been doing all her work with Le Romain at home–he's probably worked a little better than her–but she's a high-quality mare now. Last preparation she just kept surprising, I kept looking for a reason to spell her but she just kept raising the bar.”
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