Invincible Ibis Unbeatable in Record-Time HK Derby

Invincible Ibis (AUS) got a perfect trip behind a hot pace in the Hong Kong Derby March 22 at Sha Tin Racecourse and rolled home smoothly through the stretch run to win by 1 1/4 lengths from longtime leader Numbers (NZ). The Hellbent (AUS) gelding not only won Hong Kong's most prestigious race, but did it in course-record time of 1:59.43 for the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles). With Hugh Bowman aboard for his third Hong Kong Derby win, Invincible Ibis got away cleanly for the short run into the first turn. He slotted about six places back of Numbers and let that one burn up the turf on the lead. Bowman urged Invincible Ibis to close about 600 meters from the finish, steered outside of traffic and was in front inside the 150 meters. "As we started to come round the home turn, I thought 'I'm in business here, I really am,'" Bowman said. "The run was economical, so when I brought him to the outside and let him down, it was no surprise that he went the way that he did and I'm very proud of him. "It means a lot to win the race for a third time and being based here now, and it makes it a bit more special for some reason or other." Bowman also won aboard Werther (NZ) in 2016 and Furore (NZ) in 2019. Invincible Ibis was a hot chance at the start of the 4-year-old Classic Series that culminated in the Derby but took his time living up to the promise. He finished sixth in the initial leg, the Hong Kong Classic Mile, won by Little Paradise (AUS), then improved to report a fast-closing second in the 1,800-meter Hong Kong Classic Cup, behind Stormy Grove (AUS). Stormy Grove made a good late bid to take third in the Derby. Little Paradise, after reporting eighth in the Classic Cup, finished ninth. The normally astute Hong Kong punters made Little Paradise the Derby favorite, forgiving the Classic Cup flop. Bowman confessed he wasn't always totally sure Invincible Ibis had the wherewithal to be a Derby winner. "The dream was always there but you have to stick with the process and, after the Mile, I was very doubtful whether he was going to be able to bring it together," Bowman said. "But I took a lot of confidence out of the 1,800 meters. I thought he was one of five realistic winning chances." Winning trainer Mark Newnham just missed taking the 2025 Derby when My Wish (AUS) was pipped by Cap Ferrat (AUS). "The complete opposite to last year, that's for sure," Newnham said. "It was just a really smooth race to watch. If I could have picked a position prior to the race, it would have been midfield one off in a consistent speed and Hugh got into that position early. At the corner it was just going to be, 'Is he good enough?'" Now the question is, will he be good enough to follow in the footsteps of such recent Derby winners as Werther, Golden Sixty (AUS), Romantic Warrior (IRE), and Voyage Bubble (AUS) and move out of the restricted 4-year-old ranks to deal with older and more experienced rivals. Newnham sounded a positive note, then equivocated. First, he indicated Invincible Ibis will return on Champions Day, April 26, a program with three group 1 events. The sprint event obviously is not on the table but should he drop all the way back in distance to try the Champions Mile (G1) or risk the deepest end of the pool in the 2,000-meter QE II Cup (G1), where he would face the imposing Romantic Warrior? "I'm probably more inclined to run him in the Mile," the trainer said. "I just don't think taking on Romantic Warrior and a few of the internationals at 2,000 meters—I don't think he's seasoned enough for that yet, despite his win today and the time he's run... Horses can have a long career here, so there's no need to be testing him too much beyond his limits."