Invincible Crown (Image: Racing Photos)
The Griffiths-de Kock stable is hoping to unwrap another layer of the mystery box that is Invincible Crown at The Valley on Friday night.
A last-start winner at his fifth start, the three-year-old gelding seemingly capitalised on a consistent form line prior to that Valley win on November 26, but co-trainer Robbie Griffiths said all is not what meets the eye.
"He could be a surprisingly progressive horse because he's never had two runs alike, so it'll be interesting when he builds a pattern, whether he can come on from that," said Griffiths, who trains in partnership with Mathew de Kock.
"His first run, he ran third when he was supposed to be ridden patiently and it didn't work out that way and then he ran third, well held with nowhere to go.
"He didn't handle the wet next run when he got ridden differently again and then got beaten a head, three-wide, no cover the whole way and then won at start five."
Invincible Crown will contest the opener on Friday night's Valley program, a 1600-metre three-year-old handicap with VOBIS bonuses for eligible horses.
"For him to have very consistent form for a horse that's been ridden inconsistently gives us encouragement that he could be a developing horse," Griffiths said.
"We're going to take him as far as his batteries allow us to whilst he can run for this good prizemoney and if the batteries go flat, he can have a little rest."
Not only are connections waiting for some consistency in his runs, they're also still wondering what the gelding's distance range might be, as they look to learn more about his sire, Cable Bay.
"His half-brother won over 10 furlongs (2000m) in Melbourne, so we don't really know, but he relaxes like a horse who could run 10 furlongs, but we've only had him out to 1500m," he said.
Friday's mile race will likely tell them more, but with no three-year-old races at 2000m before mid-January, the answer to whether he gets the middle distances will have to wait, adding to the intrigue of the stable's mystery box.