Towering Vision Stakes' Terrific

Appreciating a step up in distance, Towering Vision (2 g Circus Maximus – Qiji Vision, by Iffraaj) won the $80,000 Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes 1400m on Saturday at Te Rapa.

Te Akau won the corresponding race in 2022 with Lord Cosmos (Pierro), having previously won it with Catalonia (Commands) and Kindacross (Cape Cross). 

Having debuted on the course in December with a good effort for third in the 2YO 1100 metres, Towering Vision did very well from beyond midfield for third when resuming in the Maiden 2YO 1200 metres on 17 April at Matamata, and looked ready to appreciate the increased distance.

Ridden by premiership leading jockey Craig Grylls, Towering Vision utilised barrier one to trail, was fourth at the 600m, quickened through on the inner to lead as the field fanned wider entering the straight and, although tackled in earnest over the concluding stages by Navy Dreams, he lifted to win.

“He hopped away nicely to sit in the trail, which is really good,” Grylls said. 

“He travelled into the race nicely, idled up to them when they came away from the rail, but got a little bit lost when he did kick away from them.

“The second horse raced up to him quickly and headed him, but to his credit he picked himself up again. He’s a lovely put together horse, big striding guy, great temperament, and he did everything well.

“He could step up to mile in a fortnight, and is definitely one to look forward to as a three-year-old.”

Scoring by a nose, Towering Vision ran 1400 metres in 1:26.2 on footing upgraded to Soft7, and shortened from an earlier $17.00 & $4.50 quote to pay $11.20 & $3.00 on the NZ TAB tote.

“He had to come through on the inside of runners in the worst of the ground, so it was a good tough effort,” said Mark Walker, who trains with Sam Bergerson.

“It looked as though Navy Dreams was going on to beat him, but he fought back strongly to win, and that’s the sign of a promising horse.

“We’ve always liked the progeny of Circus Maximus and now that they’re getting up over ground, we do feel they’ll start to excel, especially heading into their three-year-old season. 

“Well done to the owners that came into the horse. We’d always liked him and there was quite a bit of him still unsold after he had his first trial when he ran second. 

“A lot of people took notice, then, and got involved in his ownership, so good on them, and he’d produced two good efforts for third before winning a stakes' race today.”

Walker said that both he and Bergerson think Towering Vision will be ideally suited to the $100,000 Listed Staphanos by Deep Impact Champagne Stakes 1600m on Saturday 17 May at Ellerslie. 

On course, Bergerson added: “He was stiff getting a clear run at Matamata, but he’d gone the right way since and he’s a horse we think has got plenty of upside.

“He looks a really nice three-year-old, going forward, but he’s also got the ability to be doing it now. 

“It’s a fantastic result for the owners and for Windsor Park, as well, and for Circus Maximus. 

“We were down there (in Christchurch) yesterday for Windsor Park's 'Rugby, Racing, and Beer South Island Sale' (2 May), and they put a lot into the industry.

“I think Circus Maximus is an exciting stallion and I can’t wait to see what this fella (Towering Vision) can do in the future."

Owned by the Te Akau Look Smart Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Towering Vision was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $105,000 at the 2024 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Windsor Park.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “He’s a really strong colt, beautifully balanced, and by this exciting new sire who was an incredible racehorse in Europe. 

“He’s really cut in the mould of his sire, who is a gorgeous individual, and we’re always on the lookout for good progeny out of Iffraaj mares because he’s doing such a good job as a sire of sires and broodmare sire, and of course our Champion mare Melody Belle (Commands) was out of an Iffraaj mare.”

By the greatest sire of stakes' winners in the world, Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), Circus Maximus was a Champion Miler and triple Group 1 winner that won the Group 1 St James Palace Stakes 1600m, a noted stallion-making race, and like Champion racehorse Frankel (Galileo) before him, won the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes also over 1600m and also at Royal Ascot.

His dam Qiji Vision is a sister to multiple stakes' winner Who Dares Wins (Iffraaj), from the family of Joint Top Filly Talk Talk (Lord Ballina) and impressive winning race mare Rumour Has It Now (Traditionally).

Towering Vision provided the 17th stakes' win this season for the premiership leading trainers, while also becoming their ninth individual two-year-old winner, in another quality juvenile season that has seen La Dorada (Super Seth) win the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes, following victories in both the $1 million Restricted Listed TAB Karaka Millions 2YO and Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes, and Return To Conquer (Snitzel) win the Group 3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic, Group 3 Matamata Slipper, and the Group 1 Sistema Stakes. 

“It’s an absolute thrill to win the first stakes' race in the Southern Hemisphere for Circus Maximus, and for the Schick family at Windsor Park Stud, whom I respect and admire so much,” Ellis added.

“We’ve had so much success and fun together for over 40 years in racing, and it looks as though they’ve got another exciting sire in Circus Maximus.

“I’ve sent mares to him already and will be sending more mares to him this year.

“It’s also fantastic for Mark, Sam, and Reece (Trumper), to win another two-year-old stakes’ race. 

“It’s a time of year when we’re educating the yearlings, now rising two-year-olds, and it’s a very exciting time because we look to have another vintage crop coming through. 

“We still have shares available in some of them and I can’t think of why some of them haven’t sold yet, but we had the same with Avantage and Imperatriz not being fully sold at this time of year.  

“We bought a beautiful I Am Invincible filly at the Sydney Easter Yearling Sale and we still have a share left in her, and we’re hoping she could be the next Imperatriz.  She's all class."

"Of course this horse Towering Vision was the same, he trialled before his final shares sold, and look at that, he's won a stakes' race at just his third start! It’s great for the owners of Towering Vision, he’s going to be a terrific three-year-old.

“I love seeing two-year-old find the line like that over 1400 metres, and providing he pulls up well he looks ideal for the Champagne Stakes in a fortnight at Ellerslie.”

Towering Vision has a lovely balance of quality sire crosses in his pedigree, with Northern Dancer on the sire line of Circus Maximus and the dam line of Iffraaj, along with Mr Prospector, and super mare Special. 

Towering Vision was strapped by Kohen Collett. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz