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Vitesse Bo lands War Decree
Rich Hill Stud-based sire Proisir (Choisir) chalked up his second stakes winner on Saturday as Vitesse Bo (3 f ex Cissy Bowen by Colombia) broke her maiden in the War Decree Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Riccarton.
The Ben Foote-trained filly came with a late run to get the better of Marine (Ocean Park), eventually beating her by a neck, while Unition (Fastnet Rock) was another half a length further away in third.
“I thought she would go pretty good but I didn’t really think she could win like that,” Foote said.
“She has done nothing but improve since her first start and last time she got beaten by a good one in Kelly Renee so that gave me more confidence.
“We also knew she would love the big track so we decided to send her down there rather than run at Te Rapa today.”
Foote said he would now be aiming the filly at the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and is hoping she can go two better than her Group 1-winning half-sister and stablemate Travelling Light (El Roca) who finished third in the Classic last year.
“She is a different type to Travelling Light as she is at least 80 kgs heavier than her and just a different horse,” Foote said.
“She’s staying down with Terri Rae and she said she had settled in well and was eating everything in sight, which is just like her as she is a bit of a pig with her feed.
“She has gone a strong mile today so the 1,000 Guineas shouldn’t hold any fears for her, she just has to rise to that class.
“Sam Beatson from Riversley Park broke her in and he told me she was definitely the best we had had out of the mare.
“I wasn’t too sure about that as Travelling Light went and won the Group 1 so I was thinking she has a bit to live up to now.”
Bred and owned by Col and Ian MacRury, who also race Travelling Light, the filly is out of five time winner Cissy Bowen (Columbia), making her a half-sister to aforementioned Travelling Light, who landed last season’s Levin Classic (Gr 1, 1600m).
Cissy Brown herself is sister to Macau Listed winner Tiger King (Colombia), while further back this is also the same family as fellow Listed scorer Sovereign's Ace (Sovereign Prince).
In 2018 Cissy Bowen produced a colt by Windsor Park shuttler Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit), before missing to that same stallion last season.
Vitesse Bo joins fellow Group 3 winner Riodini as the Proisir’s other stakes winner and he is standing for a fee of NZ$9,000 (plus GST).
