Godolphin’s million dollar earner Viridine continued on his winning way at Caulfield on Saturday with a typically gritty performance in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes.
With Mark Zahra in the addle, the James Cummings-trained son of Poet’s Voice (GB) edged out the stubborn Age Of Chivalry (He’s Remarkable) by a half-head with She Shao Fly (Epaulette) a further one and a half lengths back in third.
"I had to shake him up a bit because Age Of Chivalry was sneaking up on the inside,” Zahra told racing.com.
“Once I got stuck into him, he was good. Just the last 100m I let him roll and he was up for the fight then.
"He’s been placed really well and he’s got a fitness edge. You wouldn’t have any objection to him going towards something (higher)."
It was the sixth stakes success for Viridine who advances his record to 9 wins, 1 second and 3 thirds from 30 starts with earnings of $1,105,590.
The 6yo gelding was coming off a win in the Group III Bletchingly Stakes over the same course and distance on July 25.
Viridine is the best of four winners from as many to race out of the dual Melbourne winner Patina (Anabaa) who was sold by Darley at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale to Mario and Jenni Cesnik for $15,000 while carrying a filly foal by Epaulette.
The resultant foal, St Edward's Crown, is a stakes-placed winner.
A half-sister to Listed winner Jerezana (Lonhro), the dam of the $2.8 million earner Osborne Bulls (Street Cry) who won the Regal Roller in 2018, Patina is a daughter of Saddler's Silk (Barathea) who was placed in the Group I QTC Sires Produce Stakes and is a sister to dual Listed stakes winner and Group 1 placed Barawin.
Patina has a 2yo colt by Frosted (USA). After slipping in 2018, Patina was covered by Darley’s flying Dark Angel stallion Harry’s Angel (IRE) last spring.
