News

Trapeze Artist flies to Group 1 glory

23rd Sep 2017

For 10 years Bert Vieira has dreamt of breeding and owning a Group 1 winner.

Today at Rosehill, that dream was realised when Trapeze Artist won the Golden Rose.

The 3YO son of Snitzel and Treppes bloused his rivals to deliver Vieira his first Group 1 success, a moment he described as “the biggest day of my life’’.

Ridden by Tye Angland Trapeze Artist, a graduate of the 2016 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, beat Champagne Cuddles (Not A Single Doubt) and Menari (Snitzel), giving Arrowfield Stud stallions another Group 1 trifecta.

For Vieira, it was the culmination of a decade of passion that finally delivered what he has been striving for.

“I’ve spent millions on this game, and don’t regret any of it, but everyone wants that Group 1-winning colt of a great sire and I can now say I’ve got that,’’ Vieira said.

“I’ve been very lucky. He’s a beautiful horse, he’s always been a beautiful horse, right from the start, so it was great that I got to race him and give him to the best trainer of Snitzels in Gerald Ryan.

“He didn’t only win, he won like a good horse. Bring on the rest of the carnival.’’

While Vieira was thrilled, Arrowfield’s John Messara was like a proud father in the Rosehill mounting yard as his stallions provided the trifecta.

“There’s not much to say really. Snitzel is a bona fide superstar and Not A Single Doubt is just such a super reliable stallion. Both sons of Redoute’s [Choice] who we all know is the best in the business at producing the best sons,’’ Messara said.

Today was also a great day for Bowness Stud and John North.

Not only did they raise Trapeze Artist on the farm for Vieira, but their leading stallion Bon Hoffa sired the winners of the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (Bons Away) and Highway Handicap (Don’t Give A Damn).

Meanwhile Savanna Amour made it consecutive Stakes victories when she claimed today’s Group 3 Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes at Caulfield.

It was the fourth win from her past five starts for the 4YO mare and she will be given her chance at Group 1 glory this Spring, being aimed for the Myer Classic at Flemington on Derby Day (November 4).

Savanna Amour (Love Conquers All x Savanna La Mar) was a $100,000 yearling for Grant Morgan’s Ontrack Thoroughbreds, from the Toolooganvale Farm draft at the 2015 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

She has now won over $500,000 in earnings.

And 3YO filly Kiwi Ida added valuable black-type to her page when winning today’s Listed Canterbury Belle at Riccarton in NZ, giving her sire Squamosa his first Stakes winner.

The John and Karen Parsons-trained Kiwi Ida (Squamosa x Empress Ida) was a $4000 bargain buy for her trainers from the 2015 Inglis Great Southern Sale in Melbourne, where she was offered by Ponderosa Park.

Today’s win, on a heavy track, was the filly’s fourth from 10 starts. She has also run five minor placings.