The first five across the line in the Press Statement @ Vinery Maiden (1100m) at Randwick-Kensington on New Year’s Day were vying to become the first winner for their respective sires but there was a dominant winner in the Tulloch Lodge debutant Vangelic who was the equal most expensive lot by her sire Vancouver at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
There was a sensation shortly after the start to the race when the heavily backed favourite Yumi, a daughter of Lonhro out of Black Caviar’s half-sister Belle Couture, w2as pulled up with an injury to her pelvis.
Nash Rawiller had Vangelic travelling sweetly behind the speedy Ashra Jahre and the daughter of Vancouver took control of the race at the 300 metres.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly was strong to the line in defeating Parakeet (Kermadec) by one and a half lengths with Jemss (Exosphere) three and a quarter length back in third followed by Ashra Jahre (Headwater) and Addison Reserve (Scissor Kick).
Stable representative Neil Paine said it was fitting that the stable trained the first winner by their Golden Slipper winner Vancouver.
“Our horses always improve stacks from their trials and that showed today. Nash rode her in the trial and thought she had a chance today, Paine said.
Gay and Adrian will be over the moon because that is Vancouver’s first winner and the owners in this horse actually owned Vancouver, so they are over the moon.
“When you look at her in the yard she looks so babyish compared to the other fillies who looked big and strong, so for her to come out and win today is quite remarkable.
“It will be up to Gai and Adrain what she does from here, but they will do the right thing no matter what happens.”
Purchased by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing for $400,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the Gold Coast, Vangelic is the fourth foal and third winner out of the multiple stakes-placed Pins mare Angel Bee who is a half-sister to the stakes-placegetters O’Angel (Cape Blanco) and Turnstiles (Anabaa) out of the Group III winning Zabeel mare Zabeels Angel.
Angel Bee has a yearling colt by Hinchinbrook that has been catalogued by Segenhoe to the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. After missing to Merchant Navy in 2018, Angel Bee was covered by Written Tycoon last October.
Vancouver had one other runner in Australia on New Year’s Day, the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained filly Night Raid who made a promising start to her career when beaten just over a length into fourth place in the opener at Flemington.
Vancouver came close to breaking his duck on the first day for the new season two year-olds when Postcode finished second in the Group III Arrowfield Breeders' Plate and Ticket To Ride was third in the Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes. Another daughter of Vancouver, Canadian Spice, finished third in the valuable Inglis Nursery
The 2015 ATC Golden Slipper winner has 21 entries to the Magic Millions, 14 at the Inglis Classic and 16 at the Inglis Premier.
