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First winner for Vadamos; Te Akau’s Australian team resume

First winner for Vadamos

Rich Hill Stud shuttle stallion Vadamos has secured his first win as a sire when Sa Pala Umbrossa won on debut over 1200m at Chilivani, in Italy, on Monday.

The Antonio Cottu-trained two-year-old beat Lory Di Toni into second with Capo Testa coming home in third. 

Vadamos had an illustrious career on the track, having won the Gr.1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1600m), Gr.2 Prix du Muguet (1600m), Gr.2 Oettingen Rennen (1600m), Gr.3 Prix Messidor (1600m), and Listed Prix Frederic de Lagrange (2400m).

The son of Monsun was also placed in the Gr.1 Prix Jacques Le Marois (1600m) and finished fourth in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), Gr.1 Emirates Stakes (1600m), and Gr.1 Prix d'Ispahan (1850m).

Vadamos' first crop led the way at New Zealand Bloodstock's National Yearling Sale earlier this year with 31 of his yearlings selling for a total of $3.1 million in the Book 1 and 2 sessions, at an average of $101,550, crowning him as the leading first season sire by average.

He will return to Rich Hill Stud this coming breeding season where he will stand for a fee of $15,000+GST.

Te Akau's Australian team resume

Te Akau's Australian-based team of Melody Belle and Probabeel have returned to work in Sydney under the care of Te Akau Racing's Ashey Handley, and trainer Jamie Richards said their early progress would determine their spring paths.

"They'll be nominated for the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) and we'll see how they come up," Richards told RSN.

"They'll probably trial in Sydney and then we'll make a bit of a plan for when they head down to Melbourne.

"Whether they have a run in Sydney first or whether we think they're better to go and get settled in and race exclusively in Melbourne, we're not entirely sure yet.

"We're working through those options at the moment."

Richards said he was hoping to have 12 boxes in operation at Flemington for the spring, with Richards' Melbourne team set to be joined by a number of Cambridge Stud-owned fillies.

"That all depends on the trans-Tasman bubble and hopefully COVID-19 settling down a little bit and if we don't get any second rounds or anything," Richards said.

"We hope to have them trial up towards the end of July and have them over there in August, but that is all still up in the air at this stage.

"We have to be guided by the authorities."