Volpe Veloce
Kenton Wright Race Images
Exciting summer prospect Volpe Veloce ensured that not all the focus on the females was at Riccarton on Saturday.
The quality filly stretched her unbeaten sequence to four, and her second consecutive success at Tauranga, when she produced a commanding performance to triumph in the Mainfreight Transport Tauranga 3YO.
Had things gone her way earlier in the season, Volpe Veloce would also have been down south for the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com NZ 1000 Guineas, but missed runs and heavily rain-affected tracks counted her out of classic contention.
"That's just the way it goes sometimes," trainer Graham Richardson said. "Now, we just want to get as many points as possible in the Filly of the Year series."
To that end, Volpe Veloce will make her next appearance at Awapuni on December 10.
"She's going to run in the Eulogy Stakes and then back up to Ellerslie, all going well, for the Eight Carat Classic," Richardson said.
On Saturday, Volpe Veloce was given another economical run behind the pace by regular partner Johnathan Parkes, who had the daughter of Foxwedge off the fence 600 metres from home.
They challenged three wide at the top of the straight and under an easy ride the filly coasted clear to win by two and a quarter lengths.
"I was a bit more relaxed than I was for her first-up run," Richardson said. "She was on the toe because she hadn't raced for so long. Johnathan said she pulled up today like she hasn't had a race."
Barcelo made the running, but had no answer when Volpe Veloce came calling and Tiffany's Time was third. Last season's Karaka Million winner Xiong Feng was the disappointment of the race, dropping out to finish sixth. – NZ Racing Desk.
The quality filly stretched her unbeaten sequence to four, and her second consecutive success at Tauranga, when she produced a commanding performance to triumph in the Mainfreight Transport Tauranga 3YO.
Had things gone her way earlier in the season, Volpe Veloce would also have been down south for the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com NZ 1000 Guineas, but missed runs and heavily rain-affected tracks counted her out of classic contention.
"That's just the way it goes sometimes," trainer Graham Richardson said. "Now, we just want to get as many points as possible in the Filly of the Year series."
To that end, Volpe Veloce will make her next appearance at Awapuni on December 10.
"She's going to run in the Eulogy Stakes and then back up to Ellerslie, all going well, for the Eight Carat Classic," Richardson said.
On Saturday, Volpe Veloce was given another economical run behind the pace by regular partner Johnathan Parkes, who had the daughter of Foxwedge off the fence 600 metres from home.
They challenged three wide at the top of the straight and under an easy ride the filly coasted clear to win by two and a quarter lengths.
"I was a bit more relaxed than I was for her first-up run," Richardson said. "She was on the toe because she hadn't raced for so long. Johnathan said she pulled up today like she hasn't had a race."
Barcelo made the running, but had no answer when Volpe Veloce came calling and Tiffany's Time was third. Last season's Karaka Million winner Xiong Feng was the disappointment of the race, dropping out to finish sixth. – NZ Racing Desk.