Italia Waves Southern Flag In NZ's Richest 2YO Race
8 February 2006
It was the South Island owned and trained Italia (NZ) (Stravinsky x Capote Crossing by Capote) who became the country's richest two year old following success in the $500,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 2YO Classique (Restricted Listed 1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Italia - a $60,000 purchase from the Karaka Premier Sale - followed up her previous start win in the Group 2 Ford Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1200m) at Trentham on January 21 with a long-neck win at Te Rapa over the game colt Royal Pericles (NZ) (Stravinsky x Magpies by Bluebird) who completed a quinella in the richest juvenile event for Cambridge Stud-based sire Stravinsky.
Starting from barrier 9, Italia ended up travelling midfield and one out for most of the trip, before angling clear about 400m from home and unleashing an impressive turn of foot to finally mow down the competition. Royal Pericles started from the outside gate and travelled 3 deep for much of the race before battling on gamely for second.
Third home was Redbreb (NZ) (Viscount x Red October by Soviet Star), who also performed with considerable merit at what was only his second raceday appearance. After racing handy to the pace throughout, jockey Scott Seamer edged him into the clear at the top of the straight, however the first crop son of Viscount possibly reached the lead a little too soon and was eventually run down by the fast finishing Italia and the dogged Royal Pericles.
It capped a big week for Stravinsky (USA) (Nureyev x Fire The Groom by Blushing Groom) who is also the sire of the sale topping $2.2 million yearling (colt ex Grand Echezeaux by Zabeel) which was purchased at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka last week by David Ellis from the draft of Pencarrow Stud.
Italia's part-owner, Brian Vieceli, of Christchurch confirmed an offer of $500,000 was made last week by a prominent Australian owner to buy the filly.
"We had to make our minds up before Saturday's race and we gave the offer some consideration but decided that we didn't want to sell her at this stage," Vieceli said.
"We have had a lot of thrills out of what she has achieved already. She's only small but she digs very deep and has a big heart," he said.
"We also feel very proud as owners to have a two-year-old which is doing so much to promote South Island racing," Vieceli said. "It has been a long time since a South Island two-year-old has come up to the North Island and won the top races like this."
It has been a very successful season for Brian Vieceli, the executive chairman of the Nobilo Wine Group Limited, who is also the part-owner of this season's Gr. 1 winner Hurrah (NZ) (Bahhare x Shock Attack) who won the Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham last October.
Hurrah lines up next in this Saturday's Group 1 $100,000 Whakanui Stud International Stakes (WFA 2000m) at Te Rapa.
Vieceli races Italia in partnership with his wife, Mary, son Louis and his wife Lynda.
Brian Vieceli began his involvement in racing as an owner in the 1970s and was a committee member of the Canterbury Jockey Club for 17 years.
His first winner was Caviba (NZ) (Greek God x Bagatelle) back in 1978. He currently races six horses.
Both Italia and Hurrah are trained at Riccarton, Christchurch by Shane Kennedy and Ricky Carston.
Kennedy has held a trainers' licence for five years and was joined in a training partnership this season by Carston. The pair have 30 horses in work.
Kennedy had contemplated putting Italia out for a spell after Saturday's race but has elected to press on with her for two further races. These will be the Group 2 $100,000 Robin, Duke Of Bedford Matamata Breeders' Stakes (2YOF 1200m) at Matamata on February 25 followed by a start in the Group 1 $150,000 Ford Diamond Stakes (2YO 1200m) at Ellerslie on March 11.
"She was a tired horse immediately after Saturday's race because she puts 100 per cent effort into everything she does. But she hasn't left an oat in the past couple of days and she's full of life again so we will press on," said Kennedy.
"The way she relaxes in her races I can't see running a mile in the spring being a problem and she will be set for the (New Zealand Bloodstock) Filly Of The Year series next season," he said.
"She has improved with every race she has had and is becoming more professional. She is only 15.1 hands high but is a ball of muscle and has a lot of length about her," he said.
Bred by successful New Zealand business man and owner and breeder, David Paykel, Italia's dam Capote Crossing (USA) was imported to New Zealand in 1999 in a deal negotiated by Auckland-based bloodstock agent Michael Otto.
Italia's second dam, River Crossing (USA) (by Affirmed), is a half-sister to 1994 US Broodmare Of The Year and Gr. 1 winner Fall Aspen, who is the dam of the Gr. 1 winners Northern Aspen, Hamas, Fort Wood and Timber Country.
In addition Fall Aspen's daughters have left Dubai Millennium and Elnadim.
"I liked the pedigree very much particularly since there were successful sires on the page," Paykel said.
Italia was sold on behalf of Paykel by Cambridge-based Trelawney Stud for $60,000 in the Premier Session of the 2005 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka.
It is the second successive year that Trelawney Stud has sold the winner of the Classique after Wahid (NZ) (Almutawakel x Rory's Helen) won last year's race.
Italia, who was ridden by Matamata jockey Vinny Colgan, has now won three of her four starts to date and has stake-earnings of $329,125.
Runner-up Royal Pericles is heading to Australia for his autumn racing with his next start scheduled to be in the $A1 million AAMI Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 25, in preparation for a tilt at the $A3 million AAMI Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on April 8.
Royal Pericles' trainer Bruce Wallace commented on his colt's run: "It was a terrific effort to cover all that ground and just get beaten. He's something special."
The results for the $500,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 2YO Classique (Restricted Listed 1200m)
| PLACE | HORSE | TRAINER | BREEDER | SALE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | ITALIA (NZ) (Stravinsky x Capote Crossing by Capote) | Shane Kennedy & Ricky Carston | David Paykel | $60,000 Karaka Premier Sale |
| 2nd | ROYAL PERICLES (NZ) (Stravinsky x Magpies by Bluebird) | Bruce Wallace | Llanhennock Trust | $65,000 |
| 3rd | REDBREB (NZ) (Viscount x Red October by Soviet Star) | Mark Walker | Bloomsbury Stud NZ | $75,000 Karaka Premier Sale |