Randwick Stakes Double for Northern Meteor
Ill-fated sire Northern Meteor started Championships Day at Randwick with a new stakes-winner in Veuvelicious, who won the Listed ATC Fernhill Handicap and finished it in the same way with Cosmic Endeavour taking out the Group II ATC Sapphire Stakes.
Trained in Melbourne by former Group I winning jockey Brent Stanley, Veuvelicious was sent out favourite for the 1600 metre feature following strong performances at her two previous runs and ran right up to expectation.
She cruised home for Damien Oliver to win by more than three lengths taking her overall record to two wins and two placings from five starts with prizemoney of $157,370.
“It’s a great feeling to just be able to prepare a horse to compete against these calibre of horses and trainers that do it year in and year out,” Stanley said.
“These are all the yearlings we bought last year coming through so it’s just good that we bought well and they are racing well. It’s great to win for these clients, my wife and brother are in her and David Moodie, who is a huge supporter of mine.
“She’s very versatile, I was saying to the owners this has actually improved her a couple of lengths from last week believe it or not and she’s about to peak now.”
Veuvelicious was a modest $20,000 Inglis Premier purchase for her trainer from the draft of Widden Stud and may not be done with yet for this campaign with Stanley indicating she may back up next week in the Group I ATC Champagne Stakes.
“I can’t see why not, she’s the right horse to back-up with as long as she pulls up well,” he said.
“We won’t make any rash decisions but I’ve got a funny feeling she will be better next week.”
Bred by Widden Stud in partnership with Robert Anderson, Veuvelicious is the first winner for Debutante (GB), a half-sister by Medicean to stakes-winners Hesperia, Rebuff and Wavey.
Widden Stud sold the current yearling from Debutante, a colt by Sebring for $36,000 at Inglis Classic to outstanding yearling judge Paul Willetts.
Ringing up the double for Northern Meteor was the talented Gai Waterhouse trained three year-old filly Cosmic Endeavour, who bested the older mares to win the Group II ATC Sapphire Stakes over 1200 metres by two lengths.
A $230,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the draft of Willow Park Stud, Cosmic Endeavour was bred by Catherine Remond and has won three of nine starts earning over $345,000 in prizemoney.
She is the third winner from three to race for stakes-winning Danehill (USA) mare Crevette, a sister to HK champion and Group I winner Fairy King Prawn and half-sister to Group I winner and sire Easy Rocking.
Veuvelicious and Cosmic Endeavour are the seventh and eighth stakes-winners for Northern Meteor, who died prematurely last year with just four crops of foals, the last of which will be offered as yearlings at the sales in 2015.