News

Va Pensiero joins illustrious list of San Domenico winners

17th Aug 2013

Stratum colt Va Pensiero joined fellow Inglis graduates Snitzerland and Foxwedge as recent winners of the Group 3 ATC San Domenico Stakes when dashing away with the three-year-old feature in Sydney on Saturday.

Va Pensiero (P$35,000 2012 Classic, 2c Stratum-Rosmarino was given the ride of the race by Tim Clark, who parked the youngster on the outside of the leader before striking the front at the top of the Rosehill straight and holding off the late finishes of placegetters Cluster and Windjammer.

“He’s been thereabouts before and been a bit unlucky, but it all fell into place for him today,” said trainer Jason Coyle.

"His trackwork had been good and his trials have been great and he showed today how well he’s come back.

“He'll go to the Run To The Rose in two weeks and then we will determine whether he goes to the 1400 (metres) and the Golden Rose,” added Coyle.

The Group 3 ATC Run To The Roses (1200m) in on Saturday 31 August and $1 million Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) will be run on 14 September.

The connections of Va Pensiero will hope that their galloper can continue the strong record of colts to win the San Domenico then go on to Group 1 success such as Foxwedge, Shellscrape, Duporth, Charge Forward, Testa Rossa and General Nediym.

Today’s winner was bred by Barry Collins, who raced the colt’s dam Rosmarino with fellow part-owners L D Jacobson and G S Banks. Va Pensiero was offered from the draft of Brooklyn Lodge at the 2012 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale. When the son of Stratum failed to reach his $40,000 reserve the breeders decided to race the colt.

The three-year-old has earned over $160,000 for connections thanks to two wins and a second placing from just six career starts.

Va Pensiero is the 19th stakes winner for Widden Stud’s successful stallion Stratum, which is represented in the catalogue of the inaugural Sydney Ready 2 Race Sale to be held at Newmarket on Thursday 3 October 2013.

Octavia adds Group 3 win to burgeoning record

Game sprinting mare Octavia added the Group 3 MRC WW Cockram Stakes to her burgeoning record, proving too slick for her rivals over 1200m at Caulfield late on Saturday.

Octavia ($42,000 2011 Premier, 3f Holy Roman Emperor-Filming) was rated well from the front by jockey Kerrin McEvoy and when she kicked at the 300m mark the rest of the field were never going to catch her. A Time For Julia charged late, but Octavia had pinched the $150,000 event.

“She’s very gallant all the time, I thought she was really solid today because it was a race where she was pretty vulnerable,” said trainer Michael Moroney.

“She’s really tough and she’s a sprinter that takes a bit of work, but we’re probably going to try her at 1,400 meters next,” Moroney indicated.

Octavia was bred by Mr D Molloy, Dianne Molloy, John Mortensen and Elizabeth Mortensen. The daughter of Holy Roman Emperor was sold from the draft of Newgate Farm at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale to Paul Moroney for $42,000.

Today’s Cockram Stakes win takes Octavia’s earnings to $343,000, which is over eight times her yearling sale purchase price. An ultra-consistent galloper Octavia has raced 11 times for five wins and five placings.

Octavia’s sire Holy Roman Emperor is represented by two colts in the catalogue for the Sydney Ready 2 Race Sale on 3 October.

Other sires with progeny in the Sydney Ready 2 Race Sale that had stakes winners around Australia on Saturday include Sebring (3 lots), Exceed And Excel (2), Shamardal (2) and O’Reilly (1).

To view 2013 Inglis Sydney Ready 2 Race Sale catalogue online CLICK HERE

To request a hard-copy please email catalogue@inglis.com.au or call +61 2 9399 7999. For more information visit www.inglis.com.au