Victorian Owners and Breeders Day this Saturday

Media Release - Thursday April 16

Racehorse ownership and breeding is about creating and fulfilling dreams and that will come in spades again this Saturday afternoon with the running of the sixth annual Victorian Owners & Breeders Raceday.

Whilst crowds will not be able to attend Caulfield Racecourse, owners and breeders across the state will be captivated to broadcasts as their much-loved animals compete in one of the seven VOBIS premier races to be decided on the day.

The raceday, which this year offers $2.2 million in prize money and bonuses, serves to celebrate the contribution owners and breeders make to the Victorian racing industry and reward those who breed, buy, own and race locally.

For the second year, the headline race will be The Showdown, a joint collaboration between Racing Victoria (RV), Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV) and stud farms across Victoria that showcases Victorian stallions.

The landmark race, which is exclusive to the two-year-old progeny of VOBIS Sires’ nominated stallions, lived true to the motto of fulfilling dreams in its inaugural year when young Mornington trainer Matt Laurie landed the $1 million race with Prince of Sussex and declared “it’s as exciting a day as I’ve ever had”.

Managing owner Paul Dugan and his large band of part-owners were also celebrating, as was breeder Chris Jackson and Swettenham Stud, whose first season Victorian sire Toronado produced The Showdown winner.

TBV Executive Officer, Charmein Bukovec, said, “The Showdown is the evolution of a plan by TBV and RV to reward owners and support the breeders who have invested considerable time, energy and funds into Victorian racing and breeding.

“The Showdown not only promotes the fantastic array of progressive stallions standing in Victoria each year, it helps in educating owners and trainers about the many benefits of buying VOBIS Sires progeny.

Stakes-winner River Night is entered for The Showdown “We’re excited this year to expand the VOBIS Sires program with the running of the first VOBIS Sires Guineas for three-year-olds, alongside the second edition of The Showdown, and I wish all breeders, stud farms and owners the best of luck.”

The Showdown of 2020, which will be run as Race 6 at 3.20pm (AET) for prizemoney and bonuses of $905,000, features a full line-up of 16 two-year-olds and four emergencies who have been assembled from 13 stables across three states.

The acceptors represent the progeny of 10 VOBIS Sires being Darley Northwood stallions Brazen Beau (4 acceptors) and Street Boss (4); ex-Darley sires Night of Thunder (3) and Kuroshio (1); Blue Gum Farm’s Turffontein (2); ex-Three Bridges sire, the late Unencumbered (2); Woodside Park’s Written Tycoon (1); Larneuk Stud’s Cluster (1); Sun Stud’s Fighting Sun (1) and Swettenham’s reigning titleholder Toronado who sired the first emergency, Miss Kansas.

Advertisement

The VOBIS Sires Guineas, which is the final event at 5.15pm (AET), offers prizemoney and bonuses of $452,500 with VRC Oaks placegetter Moonlight Maid the favourite for young Ballarat trainer Mitch Freedman.

The 18 Guineas acceptors represent the progeny of 11 VOBIS Sires including Toronado (3), Written Tycoon (3), Brazen Beau (1) and Street Boss (1) who also boast acceptors in The Showdown. The other Guineas’ Sires are Swettenham’s Puissance de Lune (2); Rosemont Stud’s Toorak Toff (2); Daisy Hill’s Americain (1);  Reward For Effort (1); and a trio of stallions from Sun Stud in Fiorente (2), Helmet (1) and Moshe (1).

In addition to The Showdown and VOBIS Sires Guineas, the Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday will host the following five VOBIS Gold premier races:

  • Race 2 – Blue Gum Farm VOBIS Gold Distaff (1400m, F&M, 3YO & Up)
  • Race 3 – Spendthrift Australia VOBIS Gold Sprint (1200m, 3YO & Up)
  • Race 4 – Surewise VOBIS Gold Heath (2000m, 3YO & Up)
  • Race 5 – IRT VOBIS Gold Mile (1600m, 3YO & up)
  • Race 8 – Avenel Equine Hospital VOBIS Gold Dash (1100m, 3YO)

RV Executive General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter, said, “We’re delighted to see three champions from last year’s raceday back for another shot at VOBIS glory this weekend and it would be tremendous training effort if any of them were to prove triumphant once again.

“Mr Quickie and Twitchy Frank are chasing back-to-back wins in the VOBIS Gold Heath and VOBIS Gold Distaff respectively and are short priced favourites to do so, while Iconoclasm is chasing a unique double stepping up to the VOBIS Gold Mile after winning the VOBIS Gold Sprint last year.

“It’s also tremendous to see a variety of stables and stallions represented in both The Showdown and the VOBIS Sires Guineas and I’m sure that the winners of these rich VOBIS Sires races will be wonderful advertisements for breeding and owning Victorian-sired horses.

“The Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday is a very important day on the calendar and I want to take the opportunity to thank all our owners and breeders not only for their ongoing support of the Victorian racing industry, but for their understanding and cooperation during these unprecedented times in which they are unable to attend the raceday due to strict biosecurity protocols.”

The Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday will be broadcast live on Racing.com, Channel 7 and SKY Racing, across the airwaves on RSN and streamed live by various wagering operators with the first race of nine races at 12.15pm (AET).

News from TBV

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Breeding Partnership Strikes with She's a Hustler
John Thompson and Greg Tomlinson have combined for another major stakes success in Australia.
Famous Foal with Coolmore Stud Stakes Connections
The Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes this weekend is a race that has developed a deserved reputation as a sire making race and a foal image that arrived to the Breednet Foal Gallery on Monday is a colt with an undeniable connection to this pivotal race for the breeding industry.
New Cup Goal for Wolfgang
It may not be the Cup target they were aiming for, but Wolfgang put himself firmly into Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) calculations following his victory in the SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup Prelude (2400m) at Te Rapa on Monday.
First Stakes Win for The Autumn Sun Half-Brother
The Listed Chantilly Grand Prix du Nord (2000m) in France overnight provided a first stakes win for blueblood Dubawi colt Azimpour, the half-brother to Champion Australian 3YO Colt and now G1 sire The Autumn Sun.
Rewarding Weekend for Waikato Stud
A double strike at stakes level, a filly with a black-type future and a welcome family success handed Waikato Stud another rewarding weekend.
Melbourne Cup Dream Alive for Kiwi Stayers
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) dreams are still alive for connections of Kiwi stayers Mark Twain and Trav.
Maher and Waller Strike at Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale
Champion Australian trainers Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher have been active during the first session of the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale, which was topped last year by Sir Delius (GB) at 1.3million guineas.
Same Race - New Name- $1 million THE MOVE TO STRIKE THOROUGHBRED CLUB STAKES
First run in 1968 and previously featured on Caulfield Cup Day, the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes enters an exciting new era in 2025.
$10 million 2025 Golden Eagle Field and Barrier Draw
The favourites have all fared well after the field and barrier draw was declared for the $10million Golden Eagle at Randwick this Saturday.
Debut Winner for Fierce Impact
Lovatsville based young gun Fierce Impact (Jpn) produced a tenacious debut winner at Swan Hill on Tuesday in the Seymour Bloodstock colours.