In racing away late in the contest from back in the field, Viddora notched the first career Group One for accomplished Morphettville horseman Lloyd Kennewell.
“It’s absolutely terrific,” a beaming Kennewell said. “It means a bit, I was actually born in Perth before moving to Adelaide when I was young.”
“That was bloody sensational. It was the best feeling – 200 (metres) out it was all over.”
“I said to Joe before he went out – if she’s slow away, just ride your own race but save ground and he did that perfectly.”
“Everything opened up so well at the four to five hundred and I knew it was game on!”
“This is the best feeling in the world today,” Kennewell added. “To get that off my back.”
“I’d just like to thank everyone that’s involved. It means so much to me. My dad – for everything he’s done for me – my wife Mel and my little boy Benny at home, I know he’ll be cheering.”
The Viddora story for Kennewell started at the 2014 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale where he went to $40,000 to secure her from the draft of the Hodgson family’s Riva Ridge Stud.
Right throughout her career the daughter of I Am Invincible has shown good ability and each season she has seemed to get bigger and stronger.
Viddora, second in January’s $1 million Magic Millions Sprint on the Gold Coast, has consistently met and matched it with the elite sprinters in the country.
At her previous run to arriving in Perth she ran a luckless fourth in the Manikato Stakes. A start earlier she was beaten a nose in the Moir.
Kennewell said Viddora would now almost certainly head to the Gold Coast to run in the $1 million Magic Millions Sprint (1200m) on January 13.
“She really deserved this one,” winning rider Joe Bowditch said. “It means so much – they are a terrific group of people.”
“She can be a bit tardy at the start, which she was today. I ended up getting a lovely run through.”
Adding more satisfaction to the win for Bowditch was the fact Kennewell is his best mate and his wife Jennifer is a part owner in Viddora.
The third Group One winner for Yarraman Park’s sire star I Am Invincible, Viddora is one of two winners for her dam Snow Flight.
A daughter of Octagonal’s full brother Colombia, Snow Flight won five races, including two in Melbourne, and is also the dam of the multiple Hong Kong winner Relentless Me.
Viddora capped a magical day for Magic Millions graduates with other stakes wins around the country registered by Pretty Fast, Testashadow, Egyptian Symbol and Monsieur Gustave.
Pretty Fast (Not a Single Doubt-Miss Sharapova) scored a valuable black type victory in Brisbane when she scored a dashing win in the listed Mode Plate (1200m).
A beautifully bred daughter of Not a Single Doubt, Pretty Fast made it four straight wins when she raced home for an easy win.
Tim Stakemire purchased Pretty Fast from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at last year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $650,000 for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.
Co-trainers Peter and Paul Snowden have confirmed the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) on January 13 is the main aim this preparation for the rising star.
Testashadow (Testa Rossa-Moonlight Shadow) wound back the clock and booked his trip to the Magic Millions Raceday in January when he scored a thrilling win in the Group Three Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
Trained Gary Portelli, who earlier saddled up the Gold Coast purchase Perfect Pitch to win the Rosehill 2YO event, said the $10 million feature raceday was on the cards for the tough six-year-old.
A son of former Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Testa Rossa, Testashadow was purchased by Elite Thoroughbreds for $50,000 from the Eliza Park draft at the 2013 Gold Coast Yearling Sale – the same sale which produced champion Winx.
Testashadow is now the winner of eight races and his earnings have shot to over $1.3 million.
Egyptian Symbol (Stratrum-Our Egyptian Raine) will be headed to her third Magic Millions Raceday in January after she stormed home to win the listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.
Trainer Bjorn Baker is hoping the five-year-old Stratum mare will be able to win a million dollar feature after a couple of close up efforts in her previous visits to Queensland’s richest raceday.
A graduate of the 2014 National Yearling Sale, Egyptian Symbol is from the former outstanding racemare Our Egyptian Raine and is a future breeding star for Cressfield.
Monsieur Gustave (Al Maher-Saigon Moonlight) won his fourth straight black type race at Doomben when he scored a fighting win in the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m).
Prepared on the Sunshine Coast by Darryl Hansen, Monsieur Gustave was a $34,000 purchase for McLachlan Place Racing at the 2014 Gold Coast Yearling Sale when offered by Vinery Stud.
Today the classy five-year-old showed great fight to hold out all challengers after a tough run on the speed under star apprentice Tiffani Brooker.
Monsieur Gustave was second up today following his first up win in the rescheduled Nudgee Quality at Ipswich last month. Before a break he won the Eye Liner at Ipswich and Glasshouse at Caloundra, both at listed level.
The Al Maher gelding is being set for the $1 million Magic Millions Cup (1400m) on January 13.
Winner: Viddora
Breeding: I Am Invincible-Snow Flight (Colombia)
Race: WATC Winterbottom Stakes G1 (1200m)
Sold for: $40,000
Sale: 2014 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale
Vendor: Riva Ridge Stud
Buyer: Kennewell Racing
Earnings: $1,473,680
Owners: LM Kennewell, CJ Cooke, M Adami, Dr T Hodgson, Ms JE Simpson, F Fitzgibbon, Mrs G Fitzgibbon, R Williamson, JB Kaufman, NJE Lovett, ML Simpson, D Rogers, Mrs K Rogers, S Ferguson, Mrs M Ferguson & Blue Hills Synd (Mgr: GJ Matheson)
Trainer: Lloyd Kennewell (Morphettville)
