All In Vogue scores timely Warstep Stakes victory

A touch of divine intervention could well have been at play on Saturday when Central Districts raider All In Vogue proved her recent form all wrong with a powerful performance to take out the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton.

Popular Manawatu thoroughbred breeder Rex Fell, who passed away during the week, was involved in breeding the three-year-old Pins filly through the Fell family-owned Fairdale and Goodwood Stud operations, with many passing comment that he would have been watching down with great satisfaction at the victory.

Trainer Kevin Gray recalled viewing the filly during the 2014 National Yearling Sales Series where he advised longtime stable clients, Peter and Min MacDonald, to purchase the daughter of top-class racemare Tall Poppy.

“She had been passed in when she went through the auction ring but Paul had asked me to take a look at her and I liked what I saw,” noted Gray.

“I asked Rex what he wanted for her and he said it wasn’t a penny less than $50,000 so that’s what Paul paid for her.

“She’s not a very big filly but she is a well balanced, athletic type who has got better and better as she has matured.”

Punters had overlooked the filly’s chances leading into Saturday’s contest after she had finished well back at her most recent runs.

“She’s a filly that has to have good ground so I wasn’t that worried about her form as she had struck a couple of wet tracks lately,” explained Gray.

“She didn’t have much luck last week where she copped a couple of checks so I said to Chris (Johnson) to make sure she went around them rather than try for an inside run as she just isn’t robust enough to make her own luck.

“She was basically the widest runner for the last 600 metres of the race but Chris was very kind to her and she showed she could be a pretty promising stayer with an effort like that.”

The victory provided All In Vogue with seven points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series which enabled her to finish in a four-way tie for the title with Canterbury Belle Stakes winner Windborne, NZB Airfreight Stakes winner Honor That and NZB Insurance Stakes winner No Pushover. – NZ Racing Desk