Poet's Voice Colt Remains Unbeaten

With winners at Epsom, Doncaster, Turffontein and Evreux in the past week, Dubawi's son Poet's Voice has been having a fine run of late particularly when adding in Poet's Word's excellent second in the Group I Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and Perfect Rhyme's brave performance when second to Zanbagh in Friday's Group III Tibbies Stakes at Newcastle.

Godolphin's promising 3yo colt Viridine kept the run going while keeping his unbeaten record intact in Saturday's Listed Heritage Stakes at Randwick.

Settled one out and one back by Brenton Avdulla, Viridine received an uninterrupted run down the straight while Single Bullet was strung up on the fence.

Stretching out impressively in the last 200 metres Viridine went on to defeat Single Bullet (Not A Single Doubt) by one and a quarter length with Albumin (Foxwedge) doing his best work late, a further neck back in third.  (photo Steve Hart).

"He didn't give me an easy ride," Avdulla said.

"I ended one out and one back but I was in a bit of trouble mid-race. "He just wouldn't come back and drop for me.

"Finally, about the 600 he decided to switch off and give me a bit of a rest.

"He put them away, got a little bit lost late but he is a nice colt going forward."  

Viridine kickstarted his career last season at two with a win over 1100 metres ta Rosehill. Two weeks later he won over 1200 metres on the same track and was put away for the winter.

Viridine is the second winner out of the dual Melbourne winner Patina (Anabaa) who was considered surplus to Darley' needs and was consigned to the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where she was purchased by Mario and Jenni Cesnik for $15,000 while carrying a filly foal by Epaulette.

A half-sister to Listed winner Jerezana (Lonhro), Patina is a daughter of Saddler's Silk (Barathea) who was placed in the Group I QTC Sires Produce Stakes and is a sister to dual Listed stakes winner and Group 1 placed Barawin.  

Patina has a 2yo Denman colt named Coach and a yearling filly by Epaulette. She was not covered last year.  

Viridine becomes the ninth stakes winner for Poet's Voice (GB) who shuttled to Darley for five seasons but did not return in 2017.