El Viento Flies Like The Wind

Course specialist El Viento (5 g El Roca – Mandeville, by Hussonet) was back in business when winning the $25,000 Noble & Lee Chartered Accountants Rating 75 1600 metres on 19 December at Matamata.

Having fought well for second in the Rating 75 1600 metres on 21 November at New Plymouth, El Viento was given time (28 days) between races by trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, and the strapping type stripped ready for action.

Utilising barrier one to receive a lovely trip on the rail for jockey Rory Hutchings, El Viento was clear to challenge at the 300m and dug in deep over the concluding stages to snatch victory by a nose.

“He was jogging the whole way and I thought we were going to win by five (lengths) at the top of the straight, but he had a good think about it before getting into his work and finally put his head down at the right time,” Hutchings said.

“He’s got a few tricks up his sleeve, but he was well behaved today and I’m pleased to get the win on him.”

It was also a good performance by grey mare and stable-mate Zantabulous (Almanzor), who staged a big finish from last to finish third.

On Soft5 footing, in the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Qualifying Race, El Viento ran 1600 metres in 1:36.3, last 600m in 35.8 (approx.), and paid $7.60 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote. 

In recording his fourth win, El Viento made it three from four starts on the home course.

“It was a really good win from El Viento,” said Walker, who with Bergerson won the Trainers' Prize for the day, based on a points system. 

“He’s been a handful at the barriers throughout his career and it was good to see him jump away with them today. 

“The owners have been so patient and they deserve to get another win, as he’s always been a good galloper and has ability, but it's just the manners that have let him down. 

“There are plenty of nice races available over the Christmas/New Year for a horse like him, and I’m sure we can find a suitable race where he’ll be competitive. 

“He’ll gain confidence from the win today and it’s a good time of year to have struck winning form.”

Owned by the Te Akau Fly Like The Wind Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis), El Viento was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $95,000 at the 2022 NZB Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Westbury Stud, after breezing up in the top 20 times (10.26) when galloping prior to the sale at Te Rapa. 

Accepting on behalf of the owners, Neil Bartosh, who manages a group of owners that has a share, said: “Thank you to the Matamata Racing Club and sponsors Noble & Lee.

“And thank you to Te Akau, it’s great to see this fella produce another winning effort after causing us a few headaches. 

“It’s his fourth win, his third on the course, and as an ownership group we’ve been very lucky winning races at Matamata, and it certainly helps having the horses trained here. 

“I just had a text from the people back at the Lockerbie Village (Morrinsville), where most of us come from, and the crowd erupted when he got up and won.”

Approaching 200 individual winners, sire El Roca, by Champion Sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill), keeps producing good racehorses, among them former Te Akau bought and trained Romancing The Moon won the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m). 

His dam Mandeville was a winner over 1600 metres in Australia, and is doing a great job as a broodmare producing nine individual winners of 25 races. His dam-sire Hussonet (Mr. Prospector) was a highly respected sire of over 20 Champion gallopers worldwide, while further enhancing his status as a very influential broodmare sire. 

El Viento carries a Nijinsky (Northern Dancer) cross through the dam line of Fastnet Rock and dam side of Mandeville. 

El Viento was strapped by Tom Murphy. 

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz