Two times Group 1 winner Viddora is in fine shape to chase back to back wins in the 2018 Group 1 $1m Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in Perth on December 11.
Viddora, above, will head to Perth to defend her title in the 2018 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell has stepped up Viddora’s work load and the I Am Invincible mare will head back to Perth on Sunday with an impressive Cranbourne barrier trial win under her belt.
“I was really happy, she has come here for a nice little trial in preparation for her flight to (Perth) on Sunday,” Kennewell told Racing.com on Monday.
“I’m really looking forward to getting her there, I think she’s a horse who loves travelling.
“Once she arrives she’s got thirteen days (until the race)…she’ll have one nice gallop when she’s there.
“As long as she ticks all the boxes leading up to it, I think she’s going to be hard to beat.
“Obviously she has got the score on the board and she seems to thrive going away in the warmer weather.”
“She starting to dapple up and look really good, so I’m excited by it.”
Viddora has had two more major wins since claiming Kennewell’s first Group 1 victory with her 2017 Winterbottom Stakes win and returned to the Eastern States to win the $1m Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) at the Gold Coast during the 2018 Magic Millions Carnival in January.
Viddora then claimed her second Group 1 success with a flashing finish to win the $500,000 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on September 28.
Kennewell is willing to forgive Viddora’s last start failure on a heavy Randwick track when tenth to Redzel in the $13m The Everest (1200m) on October 13.
“She obviously had that one run on a bottomless track the other day and she’s come through that really good,” Kennewell said.
Viddora has been installed as the $3 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au to retain her Winterbottom Stakes title ahead of local mare Enticing Star at $4.80 and late entry Runson at $6.50.
The Adam Durrant trained Enticing Star suffered her first defeat from nine starts with a last start sixth in the Group 2 $250,000 WAROA Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot in Perth last Saturday.
Runson wasn’t in the original nominations for the Winterbottom Strakes but co-trainer Troy Corstens said that would put in a late entry for the Perth Group 1 event after the six year old ran a quick time in the winning a 1200m Handicap at The Valley on Manikato Stakes night on October 26.
“The time he ran surprised me but he’s been in a really good space,” Troy Corstens said.
“I have thrown in a late entry for the Winterbottom (Stakes in Perth) but we’ll see how we go in the coming weeks.”
Runson has one run since his win at The Valley for a third to Osborne Bulls in the Group 2 The Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight on Derby Day on November 3.
Early betting for the 2018 Winterbottom Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3 Viddora, $4.80 Enticing Star, $6.50 Runson, $8 Dainty Tess, Malaguerra, $12 Brave Smash, $14 Voodoo Lad, $16 Bons Away, I’ll Have A Bit, Spright, $26 Tactical Advantage, $41 Clearly Innocent, Cool Passion, Quilista, Savanna Amour, Seannie, State Solicitor, Super Cash, Valour Road, $61 or better the rest.
