Three years after Savatiano claimed the first running of The Hunter, her half-brother Vilana claimed the $1million feature at Newcastle.
Ridden by Nash Rawiller for James Cummings, the 4yo son of Hallowed Crown came from midfield to overpower the game In The Congo (Snitzel) by a neck with Gravina (Sebring) one and a quarter lengths back in third.
It was some compensation for Vilana who endured a horrid trip in the $10million Golden Eagle after winning the $1million Silver Eagle at Randwick on October 15.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse from what he showed me in previous rides,” Rawiller said.
“Unless you watch the steward’s replay, you wouldn’t really know what he encountered in the Golden Eagle.
“Today, he just used his natural speed to get across in a lovely spot, and I knew he’d relax once he got there. It was just a matter of pushing the button.
“In The Congo is tough, it felt like we were going to beat it by a length but he just kept coming with me. But he’s got a lot of class my bloke, he’s on the way up.
“I reckon this track is better today than what he encountered there (in the Golden Eagle), it was very firm. I felt that the last 100m there the other day I couldn’t knock him around he was feeling down a bit. Today he really stretched out beautifully on this lovely track.”
Winner of the Group III BRC Fred Best Classic and Listed ATC South Pacific Classic, Vilana advances his record to six wins and a second from 10 starts with earnings of $1,615,300.
Vilana is one of three stakes winners for his dam Retsina, who won a Doomben maiden in nine starts.
A daughter of Redoute’s Choice, Retsina made the best possible start to her broodmare career.
Her daughter Savatiano (Street Cry) was first past the post in Group 1 ATC Canterbury Stakes, only to lose it 12 months later due to a positive swab. She won five Group II’s, and of course The Hunter, on the way to banking over $2.3million.
Second foal Athens placed in three of her four starts at Kembla, Gosford and Newcastle. A List Stud outlaid $160,000 to secure the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro (USA) at the 2020 Nationa Broodmare Sale when carrying a filly by Encryption. She was covered by Exceed And Excel last spring.
Retsina made it two stakes winners from her first three foals with the Lonhro filly Athiri.
A dual Listed stakes-winner Athiri banked $811,300 from five wins and seven placings, including the Group II Blue Diamond Prelude, Group III Magic Night Stakes and Group III Kindergarten Stakes, from 22 starts.
Retsina has a 3yo colt by Lonhro named Rakomelo, who finished second to Best Of Bordeaux in the Canonbury Stakes in January.
There is still a bit to look forward to as Retsina has a 2yo colt by Street Boss (USA) named Assyrtiko and a yearling filly by Blue Point (IRE).
A daughter of Darley Stud’s $1,125,000 purchase Star Shiraz, Retsina was covered by Blue Point (IRE) again last spring.
Hallowed Crown stands at Twin Hills Stud in 2022 for a value fee of $11,000.
