VITA Venturi looked a bright prospect on his debut at the Curragh. It was over 10 furlongs in mid-July of his three-year-old year and the Jim Bolger-trained chesnut beat 19 rivals.
The three-quarter-length runner-up that day was Obama Rule, and her next start was a winning one in the Group 3 Dance Design Stakes at the same venue. Vita Venturi also stepped up to pattern company next time, just five days after his maiden success, but was unplaecd behind the prolific stakes-winner Famous Name, then a five-year-old. Injury brought his budding racetrack career to an end, and he joined the team at Clongeel Stud in 2013.
He is by the great Galileo (by Sadler’s Wells), and in addition to the double-digit tally of sons who have already sired at least one top-level winner on the flat, the Coolmore colossus has a growing number of descendants who are winning graded events under National Hunt rules. Mahler, Soldier Fortune, and Vendangeur are three of his notable sire sons in that sector.
Vita Venturi is out of the former Luca Cumani-trained Sateen (by Barathea), and she is a half-sister to a long list of winners, notably Golden Quest, Spaceman, Puce, Shouk, and Sitara. Golden Quest (by Rainbow Quest) was a half-length runner-up in the two-mile Group 2 Goodwood Cup and Spaceman (by In The Wings) was third in the Grade 3 Cork Stayers Novice Hurdle over three miles.
Puce (by Darshaan) won a 12-furlong listed contest and finished third in the Group 3 Park Hill Stakes. In addition to dual Newmarket listed winner Lion Sands (by Montjeu) and Group 1-placed, Group 2 Lancashire Oaks heroine Pongee (by Barathea) – who are her offspring – her descendants feature the millionaire and multiple Group 1-placed Group 2 star Magic Wand (by Galileo) and that filly’s Irish Oaks-winning half-sister Chicquita (by Montjeu).
The other pair on that list above – Shouk (by Shirley Heights) and Sitara (by Salse) – were only minor winners on the track, but both have become broodmares of considerable note. Shouk is the dam of Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Magical Romance (by Barathea) and Group 1 Oaks heroine Alexandrova (by Sadler’s Wells), with the latter since becoming the dam of Group 2 Prix Kergorlay scorer Alex My Boy (by Dalakhani) and Group 1-placed, Group 2 winner Somehow (by Fastnet Rock), a tragically ill-fated filly.
Sitara’s son Sydney Opera House (by Australia) was a neck runner-up in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October, and his half-brother Golden Sword (by High Chaparral) went to stud in South Africa after a career that featured victory in the Group 3 Chester Vase and the runners-up spot to Fame And Glory (by Montjeu) in the Group 1 Irish Derby. However, the best of Sitara’s blacktype trio is Group 1 Melbourne Cup hero Rekindling (by High Chaparral).
The Sadler’s Wells (by Northern Dancer) line has frequently clicked with this family, Vita Venturi is inbred 2x3 to the great bay, and he is a promising prospect.
VITA VENTURI (IRE). Won one race, £6,412, over 1 mile 2 furlongs, at 3 years.
Retired to Stud in 2013; first crop now five-year-olds.
Stands at: Clongeel Stud, Boherbue, Mallow, Co Cork, Ireland
Contact: Edmund Vaughan
Telephone: +353 29 60070 or +353 86 8916449
Email: clongeelstud@yahoo.ie
Web: www.clongeelstud.com
Fee: €1,000