Australasian Oaks winner Invest is on her way home from Adelaide to Sydney for a short stopover before she travels north to try to add another classic to her name.
Her win in Adelaide on Saturday broke a five-year Group One drought for popular Warwick Farm trainer Clarry Conners but her achievement was overshadowed by Black Caviar’s presence at the Morphettville meeting.
The track was packed to its 30,000 capacity for the champion mare’s 20th victory and Conners was thrilled to be a part of the big day.
“It was a pretty exciting day all round,” Conners said.
“It was a big thrill to win a Group One. It’s hard to do.”
“The last one we had was Apercu (2007) in the TJ Smith in Brisbane.
“Hopefully it’s back to the golden days and the start of more to come.
“Invest is on her way home and then she’ll head to Brisbane for the Doomben Roses in three weeks and the Queensland Oaks.”
The filly is by Dehere out of 2003 Flight Stakes winner Unearthly and her 2000m win was just the second of her 13-start career during which she has also been placed five times.
“She’s a tiny little thing and has been unlucky a couple of times,” Conners said.
Invest ran second to flying filly Karuta Queen on debut in October 2010 and won her maiden at her second start in April last year.
She then added another minor placing when third to subsequent Group One winner Manawanui.
Conners sent her to his trainer son Heath in Geelong earlier this year to prepare for the Adelaide race which he regarded as an easier option than the Australian Oaks in Sydney.
The filly is raced by the Kelly family’s Newhaven Park Stud for whom Conners has trained for many years with much success including Golden Slipper wins with Burst and Prowl.
