Imperatriz Honoured on Cox Plate Day

Te Akau Racing’s World Champion Sprinter, Imperatriz (I Am Invincible – Berimbau, by Shamardal), will have a race named in her honour on one of Australia’s most iconic race days - Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley Racing Club.

On Saturday, 25 October, the bonanza race day will feature the inaugural running of the $200,000 Imperatriz Sprint (1000 m), proudly sponsored by Strathmore Bendigo Community Bank - a fitting tribute to a mare who made Moonee Valley her kingdom.

After announcing herself as a star in New Zealand with four Group One victories from Te Akau’s New Zealand base, the daughter of I Am Invincible crossed the Tasman to join Mark Walker’s Cranbourne stable and quickly stamped her brilliance on Australian soil.

It was at The Valley where she truly built her legacy - electrifying crowds and rewriting record books. From her first Australian Group One triumph in the William Reid Stakes (2023) to her back-to-back course records over 1000 metres, Imperatriz became synonymous with speed and supremacy. She first stopped the clock at 56.68 seconds in the McEwen Stakes (Gr. 2) - eclipsing the previous 1000 m record of 56.84 - before shattering her own mark in the Moir Stakes (Gr. 1), blazing home in 56.47 seconds with a final 600 m of 32.6 seconds.

Unbeaten in five starts at Moonee Valley - four at Group One level - Imperatriz’s reign of dominance was unmatched. Her six Group One victories in 2023 were the most by any horse worldwide, earning her titles as New Zealand Champion Sprinter/Miler (twice), Australian Champion Sprinter (2023/24), and the ultimate recognition - New Zealand Horse of the Year (2024).

She also received the NZTR Outstanding Global Achievement Award, cementing her place among the greatest to ever wear the tangerine.

Purchased for $360,000 by David Ellis CNZM at the 2020 Gold Coast Yearling Sale (Bhima Thoroughbreds draft), Imperatriz carried the colours of the Te Akau Invincible Empress Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

She retired in May 2024 after a remarkable 27 starts (19 wins, 4 placings), earning over A$7 million, before selling for a record A$6.6 million as a broodmare.

In a fitting continuation of her story, Imperatriz delivered her first foal - a filly by Pierata (Pierro) - in September 2025, marking the next chapter of a legacy that began in tangerine and now shines across generations.

As her name lights up Moonee Valley once more, the Imperatriz Sprint stands as a celebration of brilliance, heart, and the enduring spirit of Te Akau Racing - an honour we will proudly cherish alongside her loyal ownership group. We extend our sincere thanks to the Moonee Valley Racing Club for this recognition, which will stand as one of the most memorable moments in Te Akau’s history - a privilege and distinction we will always treasure.