Melbourne Cup Winner Cheered at Widden

When Aussie bred stayer Vow and Declare scored a tenacious victory in the Melbourne Cup, a cheer went up around the country from most breeders celebrating the first Australian bred Cup winner in a decade, but the cheer at Widden was particularly enthusiastic given his dam Geblitzt now resides in the valley of champions.

Owned by Paul Lanskey and Helga Hueston, who bred Vow and Declare and share in his ownership, 13 year-old Geblitzt is shaping as a blue hen with two of her first three foals now stakes-winners in $5.7 million earner Vow and Declare and Lycurgus, whose full sister will be offered by Widden Stud at the 2020 Magic Millions as Lot 329.

A strapping chestnut filly by Star Witness, she is bred on the exact same cross as dual Group I winning filly Global Glamour, who is also by star Witness from a daughter of Testa Rossa.

“She is a lot more like her sire and is a sharper, more precocious style of horse than Vow and Declare,” said Widden Stud’s Ryan McEvoy.

“We really like her and she looks a natural runner as you would expect from her dam, who has done such a great job.”

Geblitzt foaled this spring producing a filly by Shalaa (IRE) and is now in foal to American Pharoah (USA), so the pedigree page of this Star Witness filly headed to the Gold Coast is one with the potential for considerable upside in the future making her a valuable broodmare prospect when her racing days are done.