Ridgeport filly Invincible Lover passed an important marker in her initial prep when working for the first time on the grass at Cranbourne on Monday.

Invincible Lover was a record-breaking $400,000 buy for Ridgeport owner Santo Guagliardo at the Adelaide Magic Millions in March and she’s done nothing but please her co-trainers Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans.

“She’s a natural and did it easily,” Yeomans said.  “We thought she might be an early type with such a lovely temperament.  She’s neat but strong and the next step is a jump-out before making any definite plans.”

Invincible Lover (2f I Am Invincible – Les Amoureux by Redoute’s Choice) is the most expensive filly ever sold at an Adelaide Sale.  She was bred at Baramul Stud and is the first foal from a half-sister to G2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) winner Sambro (Fastnet Rock).

“I thought she could have been at the Gold Coast or Easter,” Kennewell said after teaming up with Guagliardo and agent Mathew Becker to win a bidding duel with Phillip Stokes.  “She’s one of the best Vinnies I’ve seen this year and that says something as we see a lot of them.

“I knew she would be expensive.  I didn’t quote Santo that much money but we didn’t even start bidding until she got to $340,000.  Santo was on the phone and I told him this was the filly I really wanted for him.”

Monday morning’s report out of Melbourne was followed by more good news closer to home when Neville Parnham claimed Bustler can return to Group 1 winning form for Ridgeport in the Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot this Saturday.

Bustler (Playing God) and his stablemate Zipaway (Playing God) finished in the second-half of the field in the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) last Saturday leaving Parnham disappointed but not enough to stop pressing on.

“Bustler wasn’t afforded the most suitable of runs.  He had cover for a while but then got exposed doing a bit of work and weakened out of it.  I just didn’t read a lot into it.  The brakes went on when they settled down the back and the tempo was a drawback.

“He got through the run pretty comfortably and weight-for-age conditions will suit him in the Northerly.”