First North American Winner for Vancouver

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday June 24

Golden Slipper winner Vancouver has had a flurry of recent Australian winners and was represented by his first North American winner at Thistledown on Tuesday with a debut victory for Nicky Two Shoes.

Trained by William Cowans, the colt chased the leaders early, accelerated with a rails run on the far turn, took over as they hit the quarter pole, and after enjoying a clear lead from there, held on to win the five furlong maiden by half-length over the favourite.


A homebred for Southern Comfort Farm, Nicky Two Shoes is the second winner from Wendy Wow, a half-sister by Invasor to the dam of South American Group I winner Que Fenomeno.

Going further back, the family is European with his grand-dam Wendy Vaala, a half-sister to Group I winner Park Appeal, the dam of Group I winning sire Cape Cross.

Vancouver shuttled to Coolmore’s Kentucky base of Ashford Stud for two seasons.

Vancouver

In the Southern Hemisphere, he has sired eight first crop winners (one in South Africa) led by stakes horses Vangelic, Postcode, Ticket to Ride and Canadian Spice as well as promising metro winners Armatree, Dunbar and Exhibition..

Vancouver stands at a fee of $30,250 this spring.

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Magic Millions - The Book
The famous US sports journo, Red Smith, once proclaimed that : “writing is easy … I just sit down at my typewriter and open a vein”.
NZB Ready to Run Breeze Ups Complete for 2025
The final day of NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups saw a further 202 two-year-olds gallop down the home straight at Te Rapa Racecourse.
2025 G1 Spring Champion – Pedigree Preview
A lot of attention is paid to the sprinting three year-old division and much less so to the stayers, but with $2million in prizemoney the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday has attracted a full field of 14 and all of them are on trial at the trip.
End Of An Era - 2025 G1 Cox Plate
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still” - Franklin D Roosevelt.
Inglis Digital - Darby Swoop on Amazing Eagle for $310,000
Scott Darby believes today’s Inglis Digital sale-topper Amazing Eagle (Capitalist) can continue along the same successful mould as the likes of former online Darby acquisitions Robusto, Caballus and Imperial Force and progress on to become a future racetrack star.
Delacroix Brings Dubawi Outcross to Coolmore Roster
Blueblood 3YO Dubawi colt Delacroix has been retired and the dual Group I winner will stand at Coolmore in Ireland in 2026.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 21
Here is the full list of 15 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Win for $2.1million Magic Millions Sale-Topper
It was a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at Te Aroha on Wednesday when Avantaggia, the filly that topped the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke through for her maiden win in the Donaghys Moxipor (1150m).
Pier Headed to Melbourne
Following his pleasing third placing in last Saturday’s A$5 million Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1609m) at Randwick, trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley have decided to head south with Pier to test his talent in Melbourne.
G1 Champions Mile Next for Ceolwulf
Trainer Joe Pride will likely keep stable star Ceolwulf to a mile as he looks to round off his spring campaign with a first trip away.