Champion sire I Am Invincible added a promising new stakes-winner to his tally in New Zealand on Boxing Day when lightly raced four year-old mare Vamos Bebe scored a dominant win in the Listed Hallmark Stud Sprint (1200m) at Ellerslie.
Trainer Jamie Richards backed his opinion of Vamos Bebe, who was rated a clear six points lower than any of her eight rivals and was rewarded with performance that showed she is well up to top company over the sprint trips.
Rider Danielle Johnson had her charge well positioned in the trail before pushing into the clear rounding the home turn. Asked for a serious effort at the 200m Vamos Bebe strode past pacemaker Madam Hass to win by half a length.
Richards was delighted with the result after making the commitment to try the rating70 mare out of her grade.
“It’s not something we do without a great deal of thought,” he said.
“She’s a promising mare who we thought was the best of our three-year-olds last year, but she had a few immaturity issues and just needed some time.
“She’s a very valuable commodity now with the black type to her name and the breeding she has on her side.”
Richards indicated Vamos Bebe, who has now won three of her six career starts, would return to Ellerslie for her next run which is likely to be in the Group III Concorde Handicap (1200m) on Karaka Million night, January 23.
Vamos Bebe runs the Taylor family of Trelawney Stud and was a $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Paul Willetts Bloodstock from the Segenhoe Stud draft.
Bred by Segenhoe, she is a full sister to Group III winner Holyfield and is the second stakes-winner among four winners from four foals to race from Group I VRC Myer Classic winner Hurtle Myrtle.
Hurtle Myrtle has a yearling filly by Not a Single Doubt and has a filly foal by Deep Field. She was covered again by I Am Invincible in October so will produce a full sibling to Holyfield and Vamos Bebe next spring.
Vamos Bebe is the 61st stakes-winner for Yarraman Park’s I Am Invincible, who has a big draft of 55 for Magic Millions 2021.
