Volpe Veloce Remains Unbeaten in Thrilling Karaka 3YO Mile

The NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile was billed as an epic, mouth-watering showdown and it lived up to expectations as Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge) extended her unbeaten record to seven out of seven with a thrilling win.

The eight-horse field featured two Group 1 winners (Sacred Elixir and Heroic Valour), a Group 1 placegetter (Jon Snow) and two Group 2 winners (Swissta and Volpe Veloce).

After a slow early tempo it turned into a frenetic sprint down the straight, and Volpe Veloce had a mountain to climb as she rounded the turn in a distant fifth place. But then she did what only a top-class three-year-old can, warming into her work and wearing down the leaders.

Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock) fought back hard on her inside, but Volpe Veloce refused to be denied. She lunged for the finish line and scored by a desperate and thrilling nose.

“She was unbeaten coming into this and this was her toughest test,” rider Michael Coleman said. “She had to be good to win today. She was going nicely, but hit a bit of a flat spot when they all sprinted at the corner. But then she got going again, she really started to wind into it. I was confident at the 200, but then the other horse (Heroic Valour) fought back strongly. But she got up for a great win.”

Volpe Veloce was purchased by trainer Graham Richardson for $240,000 out of Lyndhurst Farm’s draft at the 2015 Premier Sale. She has now had seven starts for seven wins, four at stakes level. She has earned $293,125 for owners D & C Adams, H Allender, K Anderson, M Chubb, P Dixon, R Featherstone, G Mackin, G Richardson, K & L Robinson, M Skilling, P Spiers, B Wong & K Woodmass.

“I had my eyes closed down the straight,” Richardson admitted. “But she’s a filly with a lot of grit. I still don’t know how good she is, but she just keeps improving.

“This is a huge result for our stable, and it’s fantastic for her great group of owners. This is what racing’s all about.”

Yearlings purchased at this year’s National Yearling Sales Series will be eligible to race in the new $1,000,000 Karaka Million 3YO Classic in 2018.