NZ Briefs for December 8

3 minute read

Viadana on the mend; Beauty’s Beast too tough; Autopsy results imminent.

Viadana on the mend

Multiple Group One winner Viadana is on the easy list after a frustrating Melbourne spring campaign.

She was unplaced in three appearances and returned home the worse for wear, according to trainer Lance Noble.

“We’ve had all sorts of problems since she got back,” he said. “She felt the hard ground in Australia and she had a deep-seated stone bruise that took an age to work its way out.

“She’s improving all the time now and I’d like to have another go at the Te Aroha race in the autumn.”

Viadana claimed the third Group One victory of her career when she won the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes in April.

Beauty’s Beast too tough

James McDonald was full of praise for Beauty’s Beast after the New Zealand-bred gelding had doubled his Australian winning tally.

The top Kiwi jockey got the best out of the Danny O’Brien-trained son of Guillotine at Rosehill on Saturday after a high-pressure performance.

“They made me do it the hard way and he was still too good,” McDonald said. “If he could have found the fence he would have won easily.”

Beauty’s Beast won the Listed South Pacific Classic at Randwick earlier this year for Te Rapa trainer David Greene and owners Windsor Park Stud before his sale to clients of O’Brien’s stable.

Autopsy results imminent

The autopsy findings into the death of Admire Rakti are expected to be released by Racing Victoria this week.

The winner of the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup at his previous appearance finished last at Flemington and collapsed and died about quarter of an hour later.

RV chief veterinarian Dr Stewart said the day after the tragedy that preliminary results indicated the Japanese stayer died of heart failure.