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Derby victor Invincible Ibis delivers a Hong Kong 4YO Series clean sweep for Inglis

22nd Mar 2026

Inglis graduates have completed a remarkable clean sweep of the prestigious Hong Kong 4YO Series, with Invincible Ibis (Hellbent) delivering a breakthrough Hong Kong Derby victory for trainer Mark Newnham.

Invincible Ibis - an $80,000 Inglis Classic Sale graduate - answered the lingering queries about his stamina in emphatic fashion, surging clear in the closing stages having powered to the front midway down the straight, in a race run at brutal early pace.

The final time of 1.59.43 was not only a new race record, but a new track record for 2000m at Sha Tin, beating the previous standard which had been set back in 2018.

The win of Invincible Ibis follows that of Inglis Classic Sale graduate Little Paradise (Toronado) in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and Inglis Premier Sale graduate Stormy Grove (Toronado) in the Hong Kong Classic Cup, the latter a race in which Invincible Ibis finished second.

It was redemption for Mark Newnham, who had gone agonisingly close in last year’s Hong Kong Derby when his charge My Wish was narrowly denied by Inglis Easter Sale graduate Cap Ferrat.

“Today’s a fantastic day… [I feel] completely opposite to last year that’s for sure,” Newnham said.

“It was just a really smooth race to watch… at the corner it was just going to be, ‘is he good enough?’ And probably a furlong into the straight I was pretty confident he was going to be strong late.

“He’s a horse that uses his energy well, relaxes… and against your own age group you don’t have to be the superior stayer, but he’s run fantastic time today and the way he hit the line, it’s not one of those things where you’d be doubtful again,” added Newnham.

Today’s result is the third time in the past four seasons that the winner of the Hong Kong Derby has been an Inglis graduate, with Invincible Ibis joining Cap Ferrat (2025) and Voyage Bubble (2023) as winners of the time-honoured contest.

Invincible Ibis was bred by Adrian Goonan and offered by Widden Stud at the 2023 Inglis Classic Sale, where he was bought by Kilgravin Lodge and Waikato Bloodstock for $80,000.

“A great result and a huge thrill for the entire Widden team to have foaled, raised and sold the winner of Hong Kong’s most prestigious race,” Widden Stud’s Antony Thompson said.

“It was also incredibly special to see our great friends Mark Newnham and Hugh Bowman doing Australia proud on such a big stage.

“We’re delighted for the team at Kilgravin Lodge - the colt showed enormous potential early on, which was reflected in a strong result for them, and it’s fantastic to now see Invincible Ibis fulfil that promise.”

Widden Stud have 28 yearlings catalogued for the upcoming Inglis Easter Sale - for which inspections officially begin at Riverside Stables tomorrow, Monday March 23.

“Our draft of yearlings has arrived at the complex and they are settled in.

“We look forward to welcoming our friends from Hong Kong and all around the world to Barn J, with our yearlings available for inspection from 1pm on Monday,” Thompson said.

The Inglis Easter Yearling Sale – the ‘Best of the Best’ - will commence on Sunday, March 29 at 11am AEDT.

View the catalogue HERE.