Olympian Celebrates Easter Cup Win

The tough four-year-old mare I'm Your Venus claimed the first stakes race of her career for her breeder and part-owner, double Olympic gold medal winner Mark Todd, in the $70,000 Group 3 Christchurch Casino Easter Cup Stakes (1600m) on Saturday.

In a game performance, I'm Your Venus (Show A Heart x Oaky Miss) raced across from her wide barrier to claim the lead with Chris Johnson in the saddle. Despite coming under pressure at the top of the straight, the Mandy & Matt Brown trained mare never relinquished her lead and she held off her rivals to victory by a neck.

The daughter of Show A Heart was in good form coming into the race, winning two starts ago at Riccarton and running a good fourth to Papilio (Redoute's Choice) in the Listed South Island Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes at her last start.

The mare is raced by Mark and Carolyn Todd and Ngapuke Racing Ltd. Ngapuke Racing also share ownership in Cora Lynn who won the second leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's Southern Filly of the Year Series, the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Stakes, last month at Wingatui.

I'm Your Venus was offered by fellow equestrian Blythe Tait's Chesterfields Ltd at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2009 Karaka Premier Sale. The mare has now earned her connections over $70,000 from her four career wins.

Mark Todd is busy gearing up for this year's Olympics where he will be out to claim his third Olympic gold after winning back-to-back gold medals in 1984 and 1988 on his thoroughbred Charisma.

Todd claimed a remarkable fourth Badminton victory last year as the event's oldest winner at age 55. Adding to the achievement, the Badminton win was the first start for his horse - NZB Landvision - at the elite four-star level and Todd rates NZB Landvision as one of the best horses he has ever had.

The back-to-back Olympic gold medallist is set to return to Badminton in early May this year on his way to the Olympic Games.