Te Akau Racing usually have a strong hand in the DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) and on Saturday leading trainer Mark Walker unearthed another candidate for the January feature when Viva Vienna landed the SVS Starting Gates 2YO (1000m) at Te Rapa.
The filly by All Too Hard had the benefit of raceday experience, having finished third on debut at Ruakaka behind Luberon.
Ridden by South African rider Warren Kennedy, who is making a big impact since relocating to New Zealand only a matter of weeks ago, Viva Vienna pressed forward to find the lead and the rail and was never headed.
“She’s a very professional filly and it was a good win,” Walker said.
“She’s natural type of two-year-old and should develop in a nice Karaka Million chance.”
Purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $100,000 as a yearling at Karaka in March from the Book 1 draft of Westbury Stud, Viva Vienna is out of the unraced Stitzel mare Empress Of Austria.
“Viva Vienna had the gate speed to work across and lead and was pretty impressive, I thought,” Ellis said.
“Along with Believe In Magic, she’s the second two-year-old winner this week that we’ve bought from Westbury Stud, which is brilliantly run for Gerry Harvey by his manager Russell Warwick.
“The prize money from that race will qualify her for the Karaka Million and she looks an exciting prospect.”
Te Akau currently have seven of the top 14 in the order of entry for the Karaka Million 2YO, headed by two-win Snitzel filly Rhetorical.
Saturday’s race appears to have good depth with both the second and third horses, both prepared by Andrew Forsman, looking to have a bright future.
Runner-up Ethereal Star attacked the line well to be beaten a length and Forsman believes the well-related filly will improve into her two-year-old season.
Meanwhile Full Tilt, a half-sister by Charm Spirit to Group One winner She’s Licketysplit also looks to have inherited the family ability and ran well for third after racing greenly in the early stages.
Bred by JML Bloodstock, Ethereal Star was a $600,000 Karaka purchase by Forsman and is out of Makfi’s Group Three winning daughter Eleonora, who Forsman prepared during his time training in partnership with Murray Baker. – NZ Racing Desk
