Darley shuttler Pinatubo (IRE) registered his first Australian bred stakes-winner when the Nick Olive trained filly Voynichese captured the $160,000 Listed BRC Show a Heart Stakes (1500m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Second on debut at Bathurst and then a winner at Albury, the Canberra trained filly was stepping up sharply in class and distance, but justified the decision to send her north when producing a classy display to win.
Ridden by Declan Bates, Voychinese powered to the lead with 300m to run and galloped hard to the line to beat the short priced favourite Glenorchy by a length with St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) gelding West Coast in third place.
With two wins and a second from three starts and prizemoney in excess of $117,000, Voynichese may get the chance to back up nex Saturday in the Group I BRC JJ Atkins (1600m).
“We've had a big opinion of this filly for a while now. She's only small but she's very progressive. Credit to her owners, they told me to bring her up here and it's worked out well,” said Nick Olive.
“She got a beautiful run and a great ride today, which she hasn't had in her previous two starts. I'm really looking forward to getting her over further, because she finished off really well.
"If she pulls up well we'll definitely think about backing her up in the JJ. She's paid up so we'll probably give her a crack at it."
A modest $30,000 Magic Millions Book 2 purchase for her trainer from the Canning Downs Stud draft, Voynichese was bred by Canning Downs and is the first foal of Group III placed Redoute’s Choice mare Great Mystery, who was a winner at 2000m.
Second dam Dawnie Perfect was a Group III winner at 2000m and third dam Zagalia won the Group I BRC Queensland Oaks, so you can see why Voynichese through it was Christmas when stepping up in trip for the first time!
Canning Downs sold Great Mystery in their Inglis Digital Unreserved Dispersal in 2025 for $70,000 to Yulong and she produced a filly by Pierata last year and is now in foal to Tagaloa.
Voynichese is the 10th stakes-winner, but first in Australia for Pinatubo, who is due back here this spring at a fee of $27,500. He has sired five first crop winners in Australia.
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