4 Win Saturday - Vivacious Very Good

Vivacious (4 m Dundeel – Vivi Veloce, by More Than Ready) continued a great run for Fortuna Racing when winning the $40,000 Clem & Russell Brand Memorial Rating 65 1400 metres on Saturday at Ashburton.

Producing a notable effort for third in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 14 September at Riccarton, after resuming with a good fourth prior, Vivacious displayed ability when breaking through for an easy win over 1400 metres last season at Te Aroha, had clocked good sectionals, and rated a top four chance.

Following a terrific winning ride aboard stable-mate Fellini in the race beforehand, visiting Australian jockey Liam Riordan again pulled off a miraculous ride.

From an awkward barrier (9), Vivacious was wide at the rear in the early rush for positions, stood the leader 10 lengths passing the 600m, but ascended quickly to the outside of horses at the 400m and sustained a huge finish to snatch victory by the barest (nose) of margins. 

On Good3 footing, Vivacious ran 1400 metres in 1:22.6 and paid $5.30 & $2.30 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She certainly had to do it the hard way, getting so back and being the widest in the straight, but she just kept on coming to make up a lot of ground,” said co-trainer Mark Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson.

“She’s been a slower maturing type of filly, now mare, but has shown previously to rattle off some pretty impressive sectionals and she’s had to do that again today in order to win.

“It looks like she needs genuine good ground to show her best, and the tempo of the race today worked in her favour after getting so far back.”

Owned by the Fortuna Vivacious Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), she was purchased for $60,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing at the 2022 Ready To Run Sale, from the draft of Riverrock Farm.

Reporting in from Caulfield racecourse, in readiness for Bellatrix Star contesting the A$300,000 Group 2 Henley Homes Schillaci Stakes, Galvin said: “I thought she was 100 to 1 when she turned for home, but she sailed down the outside and won.

“She’s a filly that has shown us a bit of quality and has not always had all favours, but today everything came right and I think she’s got a fairly bright future.

“We are on a bit of a roll and let’s hope it continues,” added Galvin, after Our Paramour won the day beforehand over 2025 metres at Cranbourne, in preparation for the A$300,000 Group 2 Wakeful Stakes 2000m on Derby Day (2 Nov.) at Flemington, while Bellatrix Star comes off back-to-back wins in the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes 1100m and Group 3 Scarborough Stakes 1200m.

“We’ve had a long and successful association with Te Akau training horses for Fortuna, and it’s great to see our colours being carried to victory in both New Zealand and Australia.” 

Vivacious is a filly by remarkable racehorse Dundeel (High Chaparral), who stamped himself as well above average from the day he blew his two-year-old rivals off the track on debut over 1200 metres at Ellerslie.

The six time Group One winner gained titles on both sides of the Tasman: Champion 3YO and Horse of the Year in New Zealand, and Champion Middle Distance horse in Australia. He ended his racing career winning the A$4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) and his progeny have been highly sought after.

The dam side of pedigree is particularly rich - incredibly, world renowned dam-sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo) has sired over 4300 winners including 290 stakes winners and 50 Group One winners, and already proving an exceptional Australian broodmare sire. He has been Champion Sire in both hemispheres, proved an outstanding sire of sires and going from strength-to-strength as a broodmare sire.

Vivacious carries a bloodline cross to immortal sire Northern Dancer. Her dam, Vivi Veloce, was a Group Three winner over 1200 metres in Australia, and grand-dam Royal Sash (Royal Academy) also won at Group Three level among five wins to 1400 metres. 

Vivacious was strapped by Talib Hussain. 

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz