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Progressive three-year-old filly Vitesse will tackle the big guns at Ellerslie at her next start after she broke through for her maiden victory at Te Rapa on the weekend.
The daughter of Westbury Stud based stallion Makfi opened her career account with a strong staying performance to take out a maiden 1600 metre contest on Saturday, a performance that has trainer Shaune Ritchie convinced she will only get better as she steps up in distance for her next assignment.
“I’ve been taken by the attitude of this filly right from the moment she entered the stable,” he explained.“We got her as a two-year-old and hadn’t had her that long when she tangled with a fence and cut her leg through to the bone. She needed nine months away to get over it and there was some doubt whether she would ever get to the races.
“She took it all in her stride and never turned a hair which told me she was a pretty special individual. We knew she could gallop so it was just a matter of being patient and taking her along quietly when she did come back.”From the family of two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year Mufhasa, Vitesse showed she had inherited plenty of that ability when placing at her first three runs before registering her first victory on Saturday.
“In all of her runs to date she has hit the line with real purpose,” noted Ritchie.“I love the way she gets down low when she is winding up as that suggests to me she is a stayer and won’t have any trouble going over further as she gets older.
“Although she is from a family that is known for sprinting ability I think she is going to buck that trend.”With that in mind Ritchie is eyeing the Gr. 2 Mongolian Khan Royal Stakes over 2000 metres at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day as her next assignment.
“I guess we will be throwing her in the deep end but everything she has shown me suggests she will cope with it,” he said.“She handled Ellerslie well during her first two runs there so that won’t be a problem. I guess it has to be seen if she can beat the quality fillies but you don’t know until you try so we will be there to have a go.”
Ritchie will take a two-pronged attack into the Group Two Ellerslie feature with impressive midweek winner Megawatt also set to contest the event while promising stayer Snow Secret will represent the stable in the final of the Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship on the day.A victory by Vitesse at stakes level would be perfect timing for Trelawney Stud who will offer a half brother to the filly as Lot 343 during the Premier session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka in January.