A Glam Slam

Putting it altogether, Viva Glam (3 f Savabeel – Style By Design, by Iffraaj) proved a dominant winner in the $17,000 MBS Advisors Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 14 May at Matamata. 

Lightly raced, having her fifth start, and following a bold finish for fourth in the Maiden 2YO & Up 1200 metres on 3 May at Te Rapa, Viva Glam contested a race with quite a few unknowns - given ten debutantes, but the combination of good form and race experience certainly counted in her favour to rate a top three chance.

Ridden by premiership leading jockey Craig Grylls, who secured a hat-trick within the first four races on the programme, Viva Glam improved from a handy position to be fourth at the 600m, ranged three-wide turning for home, and finished strongly to lead at the 200m before racing clear over the concluding stages.

On Heavy9 footing, that certainly required handling in order to prove competitive, Viva Glam scored by one and a half lengths, and as race favourite paid $3.50 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She jumped away well and travelled well throughout, and she felt like she really handled the ground," Grylls said.

"She won it pretty comfortably in the end and I think she’s only going to get natural improvement out of that.”

Prior to winning, Viva Glam had finished third twice, including on debut as a two-year-old at Matamata, when running on strongly from the rear, and again when resuming in January this year at Tauranga, where she ran home well following an economical trip. 

“It was a lovely ride by Craig (Grylls), who continues to ride very positively, and a good effort by the filly in quite testing ground,” said Mark Walker, who trains with Sam Bergerson. 

“She got through the ground well, which is really encouraging for this time of year, and the win should give her confidence, going forward. 

“She’s been a bit of a handful the whole way through, but she’s getting better now, mentally, as she matures. 

“The team at the Middle Barn has done a great job with her and handled her with kid gloves. It’s that type of patience that should be rewarded and we could start to see the best of her from now on.”

Owned by the Te Akau Fashion Rules Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Viva Glam was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $350,000, from the draft of Waikato Stud, at the 2023 Karaka Book 1 Sale.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “She’s a very tidily put together filly by our Champion Sire Savabeel. She’s totally correct, plenty of quality, rich colour, and just a really nice package.”

Viva Glam is by nine-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel, by Sir Tristram), out of a mare by the same dam-sire (Iffraaj) as Te Akau trained dual Horse of the Year and domestic Group One record-holder (14) Melody Belle (Commands).

A shuttle stallion to Haunui Farm, born in the same year (2001) as Savabeel (Zabeel), Iffraaj (Zafonic) has proved a sire of sires with the likes of Group One winning stallions Wootton Bassett, Ribchester, Turn Me Loose, Wyndspelle, and Jon Snow, while now also making his mark as a broodmare sire. 

Viva Glam is the second foal from Style By Design, a strong finishing filly that stakes' placed in both the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) and Listed The O’Leary’s Fillies Stakes (1200m), while winning twice over 1200 metres. 

Her grand-dam Chaparella (High Chaparral), another noted strong finisher, and South Island Filly of the Year, won eight races including two stakes' wins over 1400 metres. 

Doing the job at stud, Chaparella has left five individual winners of nine races including stakes' winner Riva Capri (Atlante) and stakes' placed Style By Design and High Country (Mongolian Khan).

Viva Glam carries bloodline crosses through her sire-lines to Nureyev, a racehorse with immense turn of foot, Champion French 3YO, that sired more than 20 champions. 

Viva Glam carries a bloodline cross through her sire-lines to Nureyev, a racehorse with immense turn of foot, Champion French 3YO, and sired more than 20 champions. 

Viva Glam was strapped by Rhiannon Smith. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz