INVINCIBLE SPIRIT X BATAAN

 A really exciting opportunity to race a daughter of one of the most influential stallions of the modern era, purchased for just 7,000gns at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale.

This filly is from one of Invincible Spirit’s final crops and represents exceptional value for a daughter of a stallion who spent many years among Europe’s elite commercial sires. Invincible Spirit produced more than 20 Group/Grade 1 winners and established an outstanding sire line through horses such as Kingman, Magna Grecia, Territories, Shalaa and Lawman. Even late in his career he continued to produce high-class performers, including Group 2 Royal Lodge winner and multiple Group 1-placed Ghostwriter, while Marvelman won the Group 2 Park Stakes in 2025. 

Her pedigree has another particularly attractive feature: she is out of a Showcasing mare. Bataan is a daughter of Showcasing, giving this filly a pedigree packed with proven speed and precocity — exactly the sort of profile we want when targeting valuable two-year-old races.

She is the first foal out of Bataan, while the deeper female family is considerably stronger than her purchase price might suggest. Her third dam Sacred Shield produced six winners from seven runners, headed by Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes winner Viadera, Group 3-winning juvenile Sacred Bridge, and Listed winner and Group 2 runner-up Crossed Baton. Further back is the outstanding Juddmonte family of four-time Group 1 winner Twice Over, Group 1 Falmouth Stakes winner Timepiece, Group 1 winner Passage Of Time and Royal Ascot Group 2 winner Father Time. 

That depth makes 7,000gns look particularly appealing. This isn’t simply a cheaply bought yearling: she is a daughter of an elite stallion, out of a young Showcasing mare, from a family containing numerous Group 1 performers. For comparison, the average at the 2025 Somerville Sale was 34,254gns, so we have secured her for only a fraction of the level at which horses have recently been trading at this sale. 

In excellent hands with Tim Easterby

She will be trained by Tim Easterby, whose record with tough, fast and progressive juveniles is a major attraction.

The yard enjoyed another outstanding two-year-old season in 2025. Revival Power developed into one of Britain’s leading juvenile sprinters, winning the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster after taking the Listed Roses Stakes at York. 

Tim also trained Argentine Tango to win three times as a juvenile, including the Hilary Needler Trophy and Listed Empress Stakes, before she was placed in the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and Molecomb Stakes. Our very own

 Anaisa provided another example of the yard’s ability with inexpensive two-year-old types when winning the Listed Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy in 2025. 

It is a yard with a long-established record of targeting valuable juvenile races, including sales races, and this filly’s purchase price gives us every chance of replicating those successes.

The 7,000gns price tag is a real advantage rather than a negative.

At that level she sits comfortably within the lower end of the restricted-race structure, meaning she can run in all restricted races in the country in 2027. We have highlighted that the band D races in the North, are the weakest novices in the country and that gives us every chance of earl success before stepping up in grade.

She also comes with potentially lucrative Tattersalls sales-race eligibility. Tattersalls confirms that Somerville yearlings are eligible for both the Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes and Tattersalls October Auction Stakes, races currently advertised at £200,000 each, subject of course to the required nominations and race conditions. 

That is particularly significant for a 7,000gns purchase. Horses bought inexpensively at Somerville have already shown what can be achieved: Royal Ascot winner Havana Hurricane cost just 9,000gns, while multiple Group 1 winner Bradsell was a 12,000gns graduate. 

For just 7,000gns, we have bought a filly by an outstanding international stallion, from a deep black-type Juddmonte family, who will be trained by one of Britain’s most accomplished trainers of tough two-year-olds. Crucially, her low purchase price gives us access to valuable Band D restricted opportunities while retaining eligibility for the Tattersalls sales races.