An Invincible Spirit son of SA bred Lecture mare Rock Opera won the Gr1 Criterium International at Chantilly on Sunday.
Invincible Spirit
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Royal Meeting (Ire) provided his sire with a weekend group 1 double in the Criterium International when ridden to victory by Christophe Soumillon for Godolphin.
Royal Meeting is a son of the Gr1 Alan Robertson Fillies’ Championship-winning champion 2-year-old filly Rock Opera (Lecture) and therefore a half-sister to Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), who proved such a longstanding moneyspinner with his first group 2 win coming in the 2012 Gr2 Richmond Stakes and his latest in this year’s Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 and Godolphin Mile.
Exciting 3yo Van Halen – big things ahead in Cape summer
The Ascot Stud-bred dam is a full-sister to the Gr2 P. G. Bison Nursery winner Hit Song (Lecture) and the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship third Rock Concert. The latter is responsible for Van Halen (SAf) (Oratorio {Ire}) who won the Gr1 Gold Medallion and recently impressed on his return run. He is currently based in Cape Town and could run in the Cape Guineas.
Rock Concert is also connected to the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship winner Gulf Storm (Sail From Seattle) and has a yearling colt by Shamardal to follow.
