Another Victorian Owners and Breeders Race Day at Caulfield has wrapped up, and what an exciting day it was! Showcasing the best of Victorian-bred talent and with over $3.7m in prizemoney and bonuses up for grabs, it was a lucrative and electric day for all owners. The event also featured an Equine Welfare Hub, featuring ex-racehorses from Living Legends.
The 10-race card was highlighted by the running of the $1M TBV VOBIS Platinum Showdown for the 2YOs. Son of Widden Stud’s Gold Standard, Big Wigs (ex Nooks and Crannies) produced a booming run down the outside over race favourite Miss Chanel, claiming $550,000 first place prizemoney, plus $35,000 in VOBIS Silver and Gold bonuses and the $30,000 VOBIS Platinum bonuses.
Trained by Phillip Stokes, the result carried extra significance following the recent loss of champion mare Makybe Diva, whose famous blue, white and red colours were again prominent in the mounting yard as owner Tony Santic celebrated with a large group of partners.
“It's super,” said jockey Lachlan Neindorf.
“It almost makes me a little bit emotional, really. It's been such a big couple weeks for these colours, obviously, with the passing of the great mare.
“It's just a privilege whenever you put colours like these on and to go out there and get the job done in a nice 2-year-old makes it that extra special.”
Big Wigs is out of the mare Nooks And Crannies (Denman), who has produced the Group 2-placed Cavity Bay (Cable Bay). She also has a yearling filly by Yulong’s Lucky Vega (Ire).
It was a special moment on course as local legend, So Si Bon, led out the field in the race named in his honour - the 1400m Two Bays Farm VOBIS Gold So Si Bon. The race, and the VOBIS Gold bonus, was taken out by the Malua Racing-trained Harry’s Yacht and ridden to a three-quarter length victory by Jamie Melham.
In the fillies and mares Avenel Equine Hospital VOBIS Gold Distaff (1400m), was claimed by Betwitchery (Blue Point {IRE} x Enchanted Dawn {USA}) charged home late under apprentice Luke Cartwright. As another winner for the Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin team, the 4YO mare was bred by Three Bridges Thoroughbreds and G Johnson, and scooped up $65k in VOBIS Silver, Gold and Platinum bonuses.
Just over a year after saddling her first runner, Ballarat trainer Karlene Tindale celebrated her first metropolitan victory when Nostra Bella (Nostradamus x La Bella) secured the 1200m Cylinder VOBIS Gold Dash under jockey Dean Yendall. She claimed $110k in prizemoney along with the valuable VOBIS Platinum bonuses for connections!
The second feature race on the card, the $500k IRT VOBIS Platinum Guineas (1600m), was taken out in dominant fashion by the Ciaron Maher-trained Salty Pearl (Tagaloa x Leaven of Malice). Coming off the back of two Group 2 placings, she was expertly ridden to victory by John Allen.
"She (Salty Pearl) was always in control," stable representative Jack Turnbull said.
"The blinkers made her travel and she took John everywhere and when he asked her to poke into a hole at about the 450 (metres), she was there straight away.
"That's when you knew she was going to be there for a long way and in the straight they spanned wide and they were coming from everywhere, but her class shone through.
"She's very consistent and building a fantastic record."
Following on from their last-start G1 Sistema Railway victory in New Zealand, Logan Bates again partnered with Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain x Demandz) to win the 1200m Yulong VOBIS Gold Sprint in dominant style. Bred by Mrs LB Alderson, the 7YO gelding is trained and part-owned by Cranbourne-based Cindy Alderson, and went home with VOBIS Platinum vouchers and bonuses.
Between races, racegoers were also treated to an exhibition gallop by the Matt Laurie-trained Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express), who is set to resume her autumn campaign next week.
VOBIS eligible races were also on the card at Geelong’s St Patrick’s Day meeting, with Bold Amore (VOBIS Silver) and Arcandam (VOBIS Platinum) claiming a victory and the bonuses for their connections.
To find out more about the VOBIS scheme, visit the Racing Victoria website: https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/vobis
