Viva Vienna’s talent and tenacity earned the Westbury Stud graduate black type honours at Riccarton where she reigned supreme in Saturday’s Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes.
The daughter of All Too Hard was bred and sold by farm principal Gerry Harvey, as was the runner-up Illicit Dreams, and now boasts four wins and two placings from her seven appearances.
Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, Viva Vienna jumped well before settling in the trial and rider Sam Weatherley was able to angle her into the clear 200 metres from home.
The filly pinned her ears back and lengthened stride impressively to reel in the frontrunner Illicit Dreams in a repeat result of their meeting on the course a fortnight ago.
“We knew she would jump well and put herself there and we discussed having the option to take a sit and that was the winning of the race in the end,” Bergerson said.
“We got a breather in behind and then came off her (Illicit Dreams) back, so it was a really good ride.
“The query was if she would get a strong 1200 metres and she was very strong through the line so a good effort by a tough little filly.”
Viva Vienna holds a nomination for the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and her latest effort saw her odds trimmed two points to $12 to share the third line of betting for the Classic.
“The 1000 Guineas is a lovely target for her if she stretches out to that distance,” he said.
“We will get her home and see how she does and then make a plan.”
Weatherley is of the opinion that Viva Vienna can acquit herself well beyond 1200 metres.
“I can’t see why she can’t step up further in trip. She’s going very, very well and her only real failure was on a very heavy track (at Te Rapa) last season.”
Weatherley said Saturday’s race panned out perfectly for his filly, who has previously won off the front.
“They went a little bit quickly for us early and I wanted to give her every chance to run out a strong 1200 metres.
“The most encouraging part was the way she finished off, she attacked the line really strongly so I’m thrilled for everyone.”
Viva Vienna was purchased out of Westbury’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Te Akau chief David Ellis for $100,000.
She is a daughter of the unraced Snitzel mare Anna Of Austria, whose three foals to race have all been successful and includes stakes performer Divine Innana.
Anna Of Austria is a half-sister to the Listed Geelong Classic winner Milestone and has a Swiss Ace yearling filly named Liechtenstein and is due to foal to El Roca.