Powerhouse trainers Ciaron Maher & David Eustace have a key contender for the upcoming Group 1 Flight Stakes in a fortnight with their class filly Tiz Invincible continuing her outstanding spring with a dominant 2023 Tea Rose Stakes win for the punters on Saturday.

2023 Tea Rose Stakes winner Tiz Invincible was huge saluting for the punters in the Flight Stakes lead-up. Photo: Steve Hart.

Coming off The Rosebud – Furious Stakes double this prep the progressive daughter of I Am Invincible made it three on the trot with a stylish victory in the Group 2 $300,000 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).

Given a gun ride by apprentice Zac Lloyd in a turn of luck at the meeting for the young hoop, the winning filly was settled just off the pace fifth behind the previously undefeated leader Tropical Squall for Waterhouse & Bott.

After going a little keen early Tiz Invincible eventually dropped in before bolting home the closing stages.

Tropical Squall upped the ante at the top of the straight while Tiz Invincible ($3.20F) came for her along the fence.

Lloyd moved her off the inside squeezing through a tight gap to take the lead 150m out and power home for a big win over Gary Portelli’s Brave Smash filly Kimochi ($4) who had to settle for another placing after also running second in the Furious Stakes over 1200m.

“You can see she’s still coming in the coat,” co-trainer Ciaron Maher told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-win.

“She’s running better every time we go to the races.

“She’s relaxing a little bit better, Zac’s (Lloyd) beautiful ride, she had an even more explosive turn of foot today.

“She couldn’t be any more exciting really.

“She’s always shown us plenty and I think she’s got so much in front of her.

“I suppose she’s doing what she’s doing now, but even still she’s got so much developing to do.

“I think there’s a hell of a lot in front of her.”

Doing well to hold on for third and complete the Tea Rose Stakes trifecta was the pace-maker Tropical Squall ($5.50).

Tiz Invincible is now the all-in $3 favourite in 2023 Flight Stakes betting for the Group 1 over 1600m on Epsom Handicap Day on September 30.

Zougotcha (2022) achieved the double last year and now Tiz Invincible looks pretty hard to beat stepping-up in distance having gone from strength-to-strength this campaign.

“It was a bit of a test today, up to the 1400 metres to get her to relax,” Maher said.

“She had been a little bit keen in the middle stages, but she relaxed beautifully and I’m really looking forward to the Flight now.”

Click here for the full pre-field Flight Stakes 2023 betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2023 Tea Rose Stakes Results & Finishing Order   

Table Credit: Racing Australia.