Sebring's Vinland Opens Stakes Account in Wayne Wilson

Mark Smith - Saturday June 8

Sent off a disregarded $21 chance in Saturday's Listed Radiotab The Wayne Wilson Plate (1600m), the Tony McEvoy-trained Vinland provided South African born jockey Barend Vorster with the perfect welcome to Queensland.

It was the first stakes win for Vinland who was coming off a hard-charging sixth in the Group III RA Lee Stakes at Morphettville on May 18.

In a driving finish Vinland defeated Duca Valentinois (Holy Roman Emperor) by a long-head with Order Again (Iffraaj) a short neck away third. (image Racing Queensland)


McEvoy said only bad luck had stopped the 4yo son of Sebring being a stakes-winner before now.

"He's been a very unlucky horse, he gets back in the run and relies on the breaks and as we know they rarely come," McEvoy said.

"He needed a track like Eagle Farm with its beautiful big expanses to allow him to wind up and get a real shot at them.

"He's a horse I've had black type thoughts about for a long time and this looked a really good race for him today and fantastic to reward the owners for their patience.

"When he gets the opportunity like he did today, he showed he's a pretty good horse.

"Hopefully this is a building block for bigger things, there is an 1800 metre race (Tatts Plate) in a fortnight's time and we'll see if he can continue his upward trend."

Purchased by McEvoy Mitchell Racing for $340,000 out of the Blue Gum Farm draft at the 2016 Premier Yearling Sale, Vinland advances his record to 5 wins and 3 seconds from 18 starts with earnings of $325,600.

He is one of two winners from three to race out of the very talented Elusive Quality mare Viking Turf Belle a 5-time winner and Group II placed.

Viking Turf Belle is a sister to Miss Valley Road, the dam of the MRC (RL) Inglis 2YO Premier winner Valliano (Equiano) and a half-sister to the Group II MRC Angus Armanasco Stakes runner-up Sayahailmary (Keep the Faith) who is the dam of Mella Maria (Star Witness) a Group II winner in South Africa.

Viking Turf Belle has an unraced 2yo filly by Brazen Beau named Ragnars Bride, who was purchased by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock for $210,000 out of the Blue Gum draft at the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, and a weanling colt by Manhattan Rain. She was bred back to Zoustar last spring.

Vinland becomes the 54th stakes-winner for the late Widden Stud stallion Sebring who died in February.


Advertisment
More Reading...
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Second Stakes in a Week for Sebring's Wu Gok
Wu Gok had two younger siblings beat him to the punch in landing a stakes win but the six-year-old son of Sebring is fast making up for lost time adding Friday’s Listed Wyong Cup to his last start win in the Group III ATC Premier's Cup at Rosehill.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Melbourne Cup Winning Trainer Secures $625,000 Sebring Colt
Widden Stud’s much missed Sebring achieved his best result of the sale so far at Magic Millions on Friday when a stunning colt from Miss Rose de Lago fetched $625,000 to the bid of Danny O’Brien.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Best On Breeding
It's an embarrassment of three-year-old riches for Godolphin with In Secret and Golden Mile favoured to fight out Saturday's $1,000,000 Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill a week after Aft Cabin went to the head of betting for the Caulfield Guineas following a three and a half-length romp in the Guineas Prelude.  
Sun Bloodstock’s Blossom on Snow Goes Two for Two
Talented Sebring filly Blossom on Snow opened her career with a dominant debut victory at Wangaratta last month and proved that win was no fluke when scoring an eye-catching win at Caulfield on Wednesday.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Another G3 for Sebring Mare
Talented Sebring mare Nettoyer again showed her liking for the Randwick mile scoring her second Graded win at the distance when taking out the Group III ATC Angst Quality on Saturday.