I Am Invincible's Group I winning daughter Viddora appears well in her new surroundings
and looks ready to fire. She galloped earlier in the week and her trainer Lloyd
Kennewell offered the following remarks."The way she worked this morning, I don't think anyone would have missed it," Kennewell said. "She hasn't raced over a straight track in a number of years, that was before she became the Viddora that we've come to know and love now. We gave her a gallop over the Flemington straight 1200m before she left and then this morning down the straight and she really quickened late both times, so I'm confident that she will be suited on Saturday.
"If you missed her, though, then you won't miss her when she's walking around the track. She's got a booty like Beyonce, she floats around and poses for the cameras, she loves it. She knows she's on the big stage and she has one of the best attitudes any horse can have, so honest and genuine."
Kennewell confirmed that Viddora would retire at the end of the Australian racing season in July, but said that there were no plans beyond the Al Quoz Sprint.
"This is her final campaign, her final few months of racing before she heads off to stud," Kennewell said. "I'm looking forward to her showing the world what she's got. Hong Kong is off the agenda now, which is disappointing, but we'll take it one race at a time and hopefully there's a big race left in her."
On Saturday, jockey Anthony Darmanin will be attempting to bring about an Al
Quoz Sprint upset aboard the Peter Gelagotis-trained I Am Invincible gelding Illustrious
Lad. However, on Tuesday morning, he was lending his services to the
connections of one of his major rivals, partnering Japanese bred Brave Smash
for handler Kris Lees in a sharp straight track gallop that left onlookers in
awe."It was a good piece of work, we just wanted him to have a look around to familiarise himself with the environment," said Maddie Raymond, Brave Smash's travelling groom. "It was decided that we wanted a jockey to ride him in this morning's gallop and Anthony has spent a lot of time in the same barn as us with Brave Smash. He's a good jockey and he gave him a solid tune-up this morning."
Raymond has been by Brave Smash's side since his departure from Sydney on March 17, much as she has throughout most of his time in Australia. She says that the former Japanese galloper has quickly settled into his new environment.
"He's really well, he's eating up and just taking it all in his stride. I think he really relishes being in a new environment, it just switches him on and he really enjoys it," she said.
Hugh Bowman, the rider best known for his association with Australia's champion mare Winx, will be aboard Brave Smash on Saturday.
A dual Group I winner in Australia, Brave Smash is a great grand-son of legendary Japanese stallion Sunday Silence and will eventually stand at Aquis Farm.
