Houtzen Dominates In Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic
Coming from the extreme outside barrier, the filly jumped brilliantly, was easily able to cross the field to reach the lead then gave nothing else a chance. On a boiling hot day it was understandable that Houtzen faded a little in the closing stages but still had enough in reserve to hold on to defeat the strong finishing colt Chauffeur (Snitzel) by a half length, with Madeenaty (Exceed And Excel) a well beaten third in the good time of 1:09.49.
Further merit can be found in Houtzen’s win as she was backing up just a week after a contemptuous, four and a half length victory at the Gold Coast over 1100 metres, running 1:04.16 hard held. She is now unbeaten since her debut in Brisbane on 24 December.
Three winners, two geldings and a colt, of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic have gone on to win the coveted Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m): Dance Hero (Danzero), Phelan Ready (More Than Ready) and Capitalist (Written Tycoon) and connections of Houtzen are hoping she can become the fourth to capture the double at Rosehill Gardens on 18 March.
The emergence of Houtzen has completed a dramatic rise to the top for her sire, Yarraman Park Stud’s I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), who, thanks to Houtzen’s earnings, currently sits on top of the Australian general sires’ list at this point of the 2016/17 season, narrowly ahead of Street Cry (Machiavellian) and Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) with Fastnet Rock (Danehill) and Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) among others also in contention for end-of-season honours.
Houtzen is I Am Invincible’s 18th stakes winner and one of seven this season, but the now 12-year-old stallion has been consistent since his first runners reached the track in the spring of 2013, defying fashion and strong opposition to become leading first crop sire of 2013/14.
That initial crop contained the sire’s first Group One winner and his best horse to date, Brazen Beau, now a stallion for Darley, plus a number of other stakes performers, all conceived when I Am Invincible’s service fee was a modest $11,000 (inc GST), a fee which rose to $55,000 (inc GST) in 2016 and is sure to be substantially higher for 2017.
Broadly bred the same way as three time champion sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), by a Danzig (Northern Dancer) line sire from a Canny Lad (Bletchingly) mare, I Am Invincible is producing statistics which place him in the top bracket of active sires. The best leave around 70 per cent winners-to-runners and I Am Invincible is currently close to that mark with a figure of 69.5 per cent while his percentage of stakes winners-to-runners is high at 6.8 per cent.
I Am Invincible’s instant if surprising success led to him receiving mares of better quality in the 2014 season. Those breeders who supported him were handsomely rewarded when selling yearlings at last week’s Magic Millions sale at the Gold Coast where those in Book One averaged $318,205 and sold for up to $900,000 and others in Book Two averaged $173,750 to highlight the demand for his stock.
A big, good looking bay horse, I Am Invincible showed maturity and ability as a two-year-old, winning in Sydney and placing third in the Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m). Issues restricted him to only one unplaced start as a three-year-old but he came back better than ever as a four-year-old to win four of seven starts.
Most important of these victories came in the DC McKay Stakes (Gr 3,1100m) in Adelaide and in the Sir John Monash Stakes (Listed, 1100m) in Melbourne but arguably his finest performance was his close second in the Goodwood Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) when caught close to line by the legendary Takeover Target (Celtic Swing).
With a dash of the precious speed blood of Star Kingdom (Stardust) via his dam, I Am Invincible nicks well with a wide range of Australian mares so it will be interesting to see how his career progresses from here.
Houtzen cost her group of owners $105,000 when offered in the Yarraman Park draft in Book Two of last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and was bred by Noel Leckie, chairman of the Scone Race Club.
She is the second foal of her dam Set To Unleash (Reset) who has missed in three of her six seasons at stud but is now believed to be in foal to Dane Shadow (Danehill). Set To Unleash showed a little ability on the track, winning over 1600 metres at the Sunshine Coast and placing second in Brisbane from only six starts.
Leash (Redoute’s Choice), second dam of Houtzen, did not race but her only two foals to race are both winners. She is a half-sister to South African champion Sun Classique (Fuji Kiseki). Gamine (Keen), the fourth dam of Houtzen, was a handy two-year-old but better at three years when she captured the South Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) and placed in the Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and in other feature races.
Like a growing number of major winners throughout the world, Houtzen carries a double cross of Northern Dancer’s son Danzig (through Green Desert and Danehill) though not close up and there are four more lines of Northern Dancer in her background. Other significant duplications are of Canny Lad (3f x 5f), Sir Ivor (5f x 5m) and of the brothers Kris (Sharpen Up) and Keen (Sharpen Up).