With the reins dangling around her shoulders, Vibrant Sun led home a trifecta for Arrowfield Stud’s ailing stallion The Autumn Sun in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group 1 Sportsbet Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville.
Ridden by Mark Zahra for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Vibrant Sun made all the running to hold the onrushing Private Legacy by a half-head with Coco Sun a head back in third.
A $260,000 buy for Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA)/Mick Price Racing & Breeding from the Canning Downs draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Vibrant Sun advances her record to three wins and a second from seven starts with earnings of $697,475.
“We always liked her. She won her maiden by seven lengths and went to the Thousand Guineas,” Kent Jnr said.
“Third-up, 2000 metres, straight to the front, it was a huge win. She missed a run in the Auraria when she had a little setback, so it’s a massive job by the whole team at home.
“She was there to be beaten. It was a huge effort.”
“We’ll take stock and talk to everybody. She doesn’t have to go anywhere now, she’s a Group 1 winner. We’ll work that out on Monday morning.”
Mark Zahra said he dropped the rein in the straight.
“I took my time getting there, but that’s as steady as I could go, but she’s got a high cruising speed,” he said.
“I dropped my rein halfway down the straight and couldn’t pick it up; it was too long.
“I just kept riding her along. It was a good gutsy win.”
“She was entitled to feel the pinch in the last bit.
“I’ve won a Caulfield Cup dropping the reins, so it still counts. It’s not ideal, but I’m riding light today and a win is a win.”
Dermot Farrington Bloodstock/Canning Downs purchased Vibrant Sun’s dam Vibrant Rouge for $150,000 from the Woodside Park Stud draft at the 2017 National Broodmare Sale.
The daughter of Written Tycoon won eight races and over $456,000, highlighted by the Group II TTC Vamos Stakes, but her career at stud has been heartbreaking.
Her only other foal Yangarra Rose (Zoustar) won at Kembla and Wyong in eleven starts.
Vibrant Rouge has had three foals born deceased and missed three times in her first eight years. She was covered by Jonker last spring.
Vibrant Sun is the second Group 1 winner and second Oaks winner, after ATC Australian Oaks heroine Autumn Angel, for Arrowfield Stud’s The Autumn Sun, who recently suffered a pelvic injury. Arrowfield Stud is hopeful he will fully recover before the breeding season starts on September 1.
