Impressive winning on the course last start, Vivacious (4 m Dundeel – Vivi Veloce, by More Than Ready) repeated the dose with another fine victory in the $17,000 Rating 75 1200 metres on 11 June at Riccarton (poly-track). After charging home to win the Rating 75 1400 metres on 15 May,the remained in the same grade, with a two kilo increase to carry 56kg, but had been racing well, brought winning form, and again rated a top three chance.
Ridden by the Brazilian jockey, Bruno Queiroz, who won two races earlier aboard stable-mate Queen Of Naples (Darci Brahma), Vivacious chased a genuine speed in eighth, was eight lengths astern at the 600m, and still well back when getting clear at the 300m, before unwinding powerfully to breeze on by over the concluding stages.It was another terrific performance by a mare destined for higher honours, and, likewise, by a jockey that appears right at home riding on poly-tracks, given his prior experience in Singapore.
Click HERE to see the race replay
On course, assistant trainer Hunter Durrant said: “Once she lets down, she’s got a great turn of foot and it was an easy watch over the last 100 metres. But top of the straight I was questioning it. We’ve always rated her. Beginning of spring last year, we had a really high opinion of her, but it’s just taken us a bit to get her back to this. I think we’ve got the best of her now. These mares that we keep happy, they’ll run through walls for you, and I think that’s the key to it.”
In the race named Book A Suite Mid-Winter Xmas Races 21 June, Vivacious ran 1200 metres in a polished 1:09.7 and paid $2.40 & $1.30 on the NZ TAB tote.
VIVACIOUS – 4th career win – Riccarton 11th June 2025 – Bruno Queiroz aboard
“It was a terrific win by Vivacious, she’s really starting to come of age and just got stronger,” said Mark Walker, training partner with Sam Bergerson. She’s been a slower maturing mare, but now as a four-year-old, in the back end of this season and into next season looks quite exciting for her. She’ll only continue to improve with age. It was another lovely ride of Bruno’s and Hunter (Durrant) has got the team humming along beautifully at Riccarton.”
Walker said that Vivacious would now be freshened in preparation for the $100,000 Polytrack Championship (Special Conditions) on Wednesday 6 August at Riccarton, on the middle day of Grand National Week at the course.
Owned by Fortuna Vivacious Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), she was purchased for $60,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing at the 2022 Ready To Run Sale, from the draft of Riverrock Farm and has an ownership group consisting of 54 individuals
“Back-to-back wins, carrying two kilograms more, she looked to be a hopeless chance on the home turn, but once again she showed a really strong turn of foot,” said John Galvin. “It was very, very, pleasing. It was a lovely ride by Bruno (Queiroz). I thought he was in a bit of trouble turning for home, but he managed to get her off heels and, in the end, she was far too strong. I certainly think she’s got the quality to contest the race we’re now targeting there in August. We’ve always held her in high regard and a mare that in time we believe could be a black type winner. She’s now starting to really show what she’s capable of and leaving no doubts as to her ability.”
Vivacious is by remarkable racehorse Dundeel (High Chaparral), who stamped himself as well above average from the day he blew his two-year-old rivals off the track on debut over 1200 metres at Ellerslie. The six-time Group One winner gained titles on both sides of the Tasman: Champion 3YO and Horse of the Year in New Zealand, and Champion Middle Distance horse in Australia. He ended his racing career winning the $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) and his progeny have been highly sought after. So much so, that Dundeel has created a stud career on par with his racing deeds, and along with Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM, and stable star mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), he joined a total of 10 recent inductees to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.
The dam side of pedigree of Vivacious is also particularly rich. Incredibly, world renowned dam-sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo) is one of only six stallions to have sired in excess of 200 stakes winners, with 26 Group One winners among them. He has been Champion Sire in both hemispheres, proved an outstanding sire of sires and going from strength-to-strength as a broodmare sire. Vivacious carries a bloodline cross to immortal sire Northern Dancer. Her dam, Vivi Veloce, was a Group Three winner over 1200 metres in Australia, and grand-dam Royal Sash (Royal Academy) also won at Group Three level among five wins to 1400 metres.
Vivacious was strapped by Talib Hussain.
