After failing to earn a cent back on the track off her $1,000,000 purchase price as a yearling, the Flying Spur mare Vinavion is beginning to repay the faith of the Ingham family at stud.
Her third foal is the Chris Waller-trained Wine Bush who entered Sunday's $120,000 Listed UCI Stakes (1800m) at Flemington as a maiden but exited as a leading chance in the Victoria Derby.
Carrying the famous all cerise silks, Hugh Bowman settled Wine Bush three pairs back on the fence before coming with a well-timed run to nose out Rocketeer (Smart Missile) with Listed Wanganui Guineas winner Highlad (High Chaparral) two lengths off third. (photos Grant Courtney).
Beaten out of a place in maidens at Canterbury and Warwick Farm at his two most recent starts, Wine Bush needed a firmer track according to his trainer.
"It's been a tough winter, especially in Sydney, and we've had a lot of wet tracks making it hard to get a good guide on your horses," Waller said.
"He's been steadily learning and is finding his way to Melbourne at the right time of year.
"He's a very well-bred horse by High Chaparral - he's been a little bit lethargic and the blinkers have certainly helped."
"We learned with Preferment they have to have a preparation to get them to a race like the Derby and for sure with this horse, he's got the mileage in his legs.
"We've got four weeks to the race so he'll run again before - I'll be honest and say we hadn't planned
"With this
A half-brother to the multiple stakes-placed Wine Tales (Tale Of The Cat), Wine Bush is the third foal of
