Vilana Upholds Family Tradition in The Hunter

Mark Smith - Saturday November 12

Three years after Savatiano claimed the first running of The Hunter, her half-brother Vilana claimed the $1million feature at Newcastle.

Vilana gets the better of In The Congo (image Steve Hart)

Ridden by Nash Rawiller for James Cummings, the 4yo son of Hallowed Crown came from midfield to overpower the game In The Congo (Snitzel) by a neck with Gravina (Sebring) one and a quarter lengths back in third.

It was some compensation for Vilana who endured a horrid trip in the $10million Golden Eagle after winning the $1million Silver Eagle at Randwick on October 15.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse from what he showed me in previous rides,” Rawiller said.

“Unless you watch the steward’s replay, you wouldn’t really know what he encountered in the Golden Eagle.

“Today, he just used his natural speed to get across in a lovely spot, and I knew he’d relax once he got there. It was just a matter of pushing the button.

“In The Congo is tough, it felt like we were going to beat it by a length but he just kept coming with me. But he’s got a lot of class my bloke, he’s on the way up.

Advertisement

Vilana (image Steve Hart)

“I reckon this track is better today than what he encountered there (in the Golden Eagle), it was very firm. I felt that the last 100m there the other day I couldn’t knock him around he was feeling down a bit. Today he really stretched out beautifully on this lovely track.”

Winner of the Group III BRC Fred Best Classic and Listed ATC South Pacific Classic, Vilana advances his record to six wins and a second from 10 starts with earnings of $1,615,300.

Vilana is one of three stakes winners for his dam Retsina, who won a Doomben maiden in nine starts.

A daughter of Redoute’s Choice, Retsina made the best possible start to her broodmare career.

Her daughter Savatiano (Street Cry) was first past the post in Group 1 ATC Canterbury Stakes, only to lose it 12 months later due to a positive swab. She won five Group II’s, and of course The Hunter, on the way to banking over $2.3million.

Second foal Athens placed in three of her four starts at Kembla, Gosford and Newcastle. A List Stud outlaid $160,000 to secure the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro (USA) at the 2020 Nationa Broodmare Sale when carrying a filly by Encryption. She was covered by Exceed And Excel last spring.

Retsina made it two stakes winners from her first three foals with the Lonhro filly Athiri.

A dual Listed stakes-winner Athiri banked $811,300 from five wins and seven placings, including the Group II Blue Diamond Prelude, Group III Magic Night Stakes and Group III Kindergarten Stakes, from 22 starts.

Retsina has a 3yo colt by Lonhro named Rakomelo, who finished second to Best Of Bordeaux in the Canonbury Stakes in January.

There is still a bit to look forward to as Retsina has a 2yo colt by Street Boss (USA) named Assyrtiko and a yearling filly by Blue Point (IRE).

A daughter of Darley Stud’s $1,125,000 purchase Star Shiraz, Retsina was covered by Blue Point (IRE) again last spring.

Hallowed Crown stands at Twin Hills Stud in 2022 for a value fee of $11,000.

Advertisment

Race Result - The Hunter 1300m

Newcastle Track: Good(4) Time: 1:17.45
1
Vilana
- 4h Hallowed Crown (AUS) x Retsina (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: N Rawiller 57
2
0.3
In The Congo
- 4h Snitzel (AUS) x Via Africa (SAF) (Var (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 57
3
1.8
Gravina
- 5g Sebring (AUS) x Metastasio (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Tyler Schiller 53
4
2.4
Apache Chase
- 5g Better Than Ready (AUS) x Silken Whisper (USA) (Diesis (GB))
Tnr: Desleigh Forster Rdr: J Byrne 59
5
3.4
Aramayo
- 7g Poet's Voice (GB) x Peruvian (GB) (Diktat (GB))
Tnr: Sam Kavanagh Rdr: Ashley Morgan 53.5
6
3.7
Sky Lab
- 5g Real Impact (JPN) x Gold Mission (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: P M Perry Rdr: J R Collett 56
7
4.0
Skyman
- 7g Mukhadram (GB) x Skyrider (IRE) (Dalakhani (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 55
8
4.1
Swats That
- 5m Shamus Award (AUS) x Is It A Mosquito (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Zac Lloyd 54
9
4.4
Brutality
- 6g Shamus Award (AUS) x Star Salute (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: Regan Bayliss 54
10
5.4
Overpass
- 4h Vancouver (AUS) x Walkway (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Rachel King 58.5
11
5.7
Bandersnatch
- 6g Casino Prince (AUS) x Divine Faith (AUS) (Falbrav (IRE))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: K Jennings 56
12
5.8
Gem Song
- 7g Your Song (AUS) x Beautiful Gem (AUS) (Peintre Celebre (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: J Bowman 57.5
13
8.9
Ingratiating
- 4h Frosted (USA) x Obsequious (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: S Clipperton 56.5
14
10.0
Tycoonist
- 5g Written Tycoon (AUS) x Doubtfilly (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: C Schofield 54
15
10.9
Lion's Roar
- 5g Contributer (IRE) x Minnaleo (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe (USA))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: Reece Jones 56
More Reading...
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
Hallowed Crown's Vilana Adds to Family Fortunes
Like most of the breed, the 3yo Hallowed Crown colt Vilana loves a rain affected track and he found conditions to suit in Saturday’s Listed Bisley Workwear South Pacific Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Four Winners for Dennis
Local trainer Robert Dennis won half of the eight-race card at Ascot Park on Friday, culminating with a special win by Sir Sterling in the Vale Tony Dennis (1400m).
Hallowed Crown's Vilana Captures Fred Best Stakes
Unraced at two, Godolphin’s 3yo Hallowed Crown colt Vilana has quietly built a formidable record. His third stakes success of the season came in Saturday’s $250,000 Group III Mullins Lawyers Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
New Stakes-Winner for Zoustar
The $150,000 Listed Hannan’s Handicap (1400m) provided reigning champion sire Zoustar with a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding Multinational led for home and could not be caught.
2YO Stakes Racing – Sale Mail
Three stakes races for new season juveniles add plenty of interest to a stellar day of racing this Saturday in Sydney and Melbourne, so let’s take a look at the Sale Mail for these races.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 Darley Flight Stakes
The prestigious Darley Princess Series reaches its crescendo this week with the 77th running of the $750,000 G1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) over Royal Randwick's famous mile.
Who Was Flight?
A G1 race since 1984, the Flight Stakes is a race won by special fillies - often the ones who go on to do extraordinary things on the track against all comers as older mares and that's as it should be as Hall Of Fame legend Flight exemplified that style of thoroughbred.
One to Watch – Geelong
Trilogy Racing will have high hopes for the their talented filly Queen of Clubs in the Group I ATC Flight Stakes on Saturday and their colours were in the frame at Geelong on Thursday carried by a Zoustar filly that saluted on debut.
Inglis Ready2Race breeze up footage NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Progeny of the likes of Toronado, Exceed and Excel, Harry Angel, Zoustar and Ole Kirk were amongst the standout performers from breeze up sessions conducted this week in the lead up to the Inglis Ready2Race Sale on October 16, footage of which is now available online.