Star Foxwedge Mare Chasing Another G1 Before Retirement

Media Release - Sunday January 26

Volpe Veloce gave trainer Graham Richardson one of his biggest moments in racing when she won the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) two years ago and he is hoping to finish her career on a similar high.

Volpe Veloce will retire to stud this yearThe six-year-old mare is likely to have two more tilts at Group One glory this season before retiring to stud and her brave runner-up performance in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday proved she is capable of the task.

“It was a massive run, she was four-wide the whole way,” Richardson said. “It wasn’t Jason’s (Waddell, jockey) fault, he couldn’t do a thing about it, he did a massive job all things considered.

“I was pretty confident heading into the race, but I was just worried about the draw (12). As it turned out that was the thing that got her beat.

“If she had run last you would have excused her, but to run second was incredible. She just tries.”

The daughter of Foxwedge will now be given the opportunity to finish her racing career on a high, beginning with the Gr.1 BCD Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa on February 8.

“Without confirming it with the owners as yet, she will go to the Group One 1400m at Te Rapa and she will run at Te Aroha in the Group One mile (NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes) and then she will likely be retired.”

While Richardson is looking forward to Volpe Veloce’s Group One assignments he is busy at Karaka this week trying to find his next stable star.

Advertisement

The Matamata conditioner was active on the first day of the sale, purchasing two lots - a Pride of Dubai filly (lot 37) for $150,000 out of Woburn Farm’s draft, and a Winning Rupert colt (lot 68) for $50,000 out of JK Farm’s draft.

“The Winning Rupert colt is a horse that I think could be a Karaka Million horse, he looks like he will get up and run,” Richardson said.

“The other horse, in my opinion, was one of the nicest fillies in the sale and I was lucky enough to get her.

“She is by a young sire that is doing a very good job and her mother is a half-sister to Samantha Miss, who was a superstar.

“If she can get a bit of black-type she will be worth a lot more than I paid for her.” – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
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.
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.
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.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 22
Here is the full list of 37 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Soft Win for Foxwedge Mare
Quality Foxwedge mare Into the Abyss has been taking on tough Black Type races since resuming from a spell and dropped back to midweek grade at Warwick Farm on Monday was able to return to winning form with a powerful victory under 60kg.
15th Stakes-Winner for Foxwedge
Talented Foxwedge mare Foxy Housewife has always threatened to win a Black Type race and the six year-old made the quantum leap at Wyong on Friday when taking out a hugely competitive $140,000 Listed Mona Lisa Stakes.
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.
Foxwedge Fillies Show Their Class
A new addition to Woodside Park in Victoria this spring, Foxwedge showed his class over a big weekend of racing producing Group performers at three successive meetings starting last Friday night at Moonee Valley where up and coming three year-old filly Villami ran a terrific race at her first outing away from Sydney.
Foxwedge Fillies Fly into Spring
Woodside Park’s new addition Foxwedge has a strong hand coming into this weekend with many of his star fillies and mares set to resume from winter spells on Saturday.
One To Watch – Belmont
We look far and wide to highlight Breednet’s ‘One To Watch’ and today’s winner of the first race at Belmont, 3yo D’Argento filly Ladies Pro, won in the manner of a horse with a nice future and in the process shone a spotlight on her sire who recorded his ninth winner so far this month.