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Well-bred Buena Ventura breaks maiden

Arrowfield Stud shuttler Maurice (Screen Hero) was handed his 20th first-crop winner on Saturday as his well-bred son Buena Ventura (2 c ex Buena Vista by Special Week) broke his maiden over 1600 metres at Tokyo. 

The two-year-old colt finished strongly to beat Tosen Melanie (Victoire Pisa) by half a length, while Cosmonaut (Admire Moon) was another four lengths further away in third. 

Buena Ventura becomes the fourth winner out of multiple Grade 1-winning mare Buena Vista (Special Week), who is herself a daughter of Listed winner Biwa Heidi (Caerleon). 

Biwa Heidi herself produced Grade 1winner Joie De Vivre (Deep Impact), Grade 2-winning pair Admire Aura (Agnes Tachyon) and Sang Real (Zenno Rob Roy), Grade 3 scorer Tosen Reve (Deep Impact) and Listed winner Admire Japan (Sunday Silence). 

The Shadai Stallion Station-based Maurice has stood at Arrowfield Stud for the past three seasons, but due to coronavirus the son of Screen Hero (Grass Wonder) did not return to the Hunter Valley stud this season. He currently sits at the head of the leading first season sires table in Japan by earnings.