Vavasour Victorious in G3 Counties Cup

Consistent performer Vavasour (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) returned to the winner’s circle with a well-earned stakes victory in the $100,000 Group 3 Chep Pallecon Solutions Counties Cup (2100m) at Avondale on Saturday.

Vavasour (NZ) triumphant in the Group 3 Chep Pallecon Solutions Counties Cup. Photo courtesy of Trish Dunell.

The winner of the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic last season as a three-year-old, Vavasour has had a consistent run of form this season, opening her four-year-old preparation as runner-up before finishing fourth on three occasions, including last start in the Group 3 Sofitel Luxury Hotels Stakes, for trainers Peter & Dawn Williams and Paul Richards.

“It was a good, tough run,” commented Peter Williams. “I am very pleased and it was good to see her back in the winner’s circle. She has been fairly consistent all the way through and she is strengthening all the time.”

Ridden by Danielle Johnson from barrier 7, Vavasour settled behind the leaders in the 16-horse field. Travelling steadily throughout, Vavasour was one of the widest horses on the corner before her impressive turn of foot inside the 200m saw her surge ahead to win by a head over Farm Boy (NZ) (El Hermano) and Authenic Paddy (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit) who finished in second and third places respectively.

“We will look at the Waikato Gold Cup next for her and then see from there whether she goes to Sydney or Melbourne or if we head towards the Auckland Cup,” added Williams.

Winning four of her 14 starts has earned the four-year-old mare $190,450 in prizemoney for owners Ger & Sarah Beemsterboer of Barneswood Farm.

Beemsterboer purchased Vavasour at the 2013 Karaka Premier Sale for $425,000 from Haunui Farm.

Bred by Garry Cranny, Frantic Bloodstock Ltd & Haunui Bloodstock Ltd, the daughter of Redoute’s Choice is out of stakes winner Valpolicella (Red Ransom), winner of the Group 3 Manawatu Classic, who is also the dam of Australian stakes winner Vilanova (Commands), winner of the Group 2 Autumn Classic.

Karaka graduates won three of the four feature races at Avondale on Saturday with Vavasour following The Soultaker (NZ) (Iffraaj), who raced into contention for the $1 million Karaka Million when winning the Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes, and Soriano (NZ) (Savabeel) taking her second Group 2 win in seven days when triumphing in the Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.