Missile Stakes winner Invincible Gem is unlikely to take on the might of Winx in the 2017 Group 2 $250,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Invincible Gem, above, is unlikely to to take on Winx in the 2017 Warwick Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Invincible Gem, above, is unlikely to take on Winx in the 2017 Warwick Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Invincible Gem is one of eleven nominations for the Warwick Stakes but trainer Kris Lees said that he might save her for the Group 2 $200,000 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 2.

“We nominated her just in case but the plan is to wait for the Tramway Handicap in a couple of weeks,’’ Lees told The Daily Telegraph.

Invincible Gem worked her way up through the grades during the 2017 Sydney Autumn Carnival and after winning the Group 3 $150,000 Trainer Connections Spring Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on February 13 produced a career best effort when a head second to Inference in the Group 1 $1m Girvan Waugh Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on March 4.

Lees spelled the then three year old filly and she returned as an early four year old mare to score a first up win in the Group 2 $200,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 5.

The leading Newcastle trainer has mapped out a lucrative Spring Carnival program for Invincible Gem that could include the Group 2 $400,000 Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill on September 23, the Group 1 $1m Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on September 30 and the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on November 4.

“Invincible Gem is being aimed at races like the Golden Pendant, possibly the Epsom Handicap and the Myer Classic so I don’t want to overtax too early in her preparation,’’ Lees said.

Early betting for the Warwick Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au has Invincible Gem marked at $10 and the I Am Invincible mare is the nearest in the market to Winx who completely dominates the betting at $1.10.

Early betting for the Warwick Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.10 Winx, $10 Invincible Gem, $14 Foxplay, $21 Antonio Giuseppe, Ecuador, $26 Inference, $31 Harper’s Choice, $101 Allergic, Red Excitement, Zanbagh, $201 Who Shot Thebarman.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.