Speedy NZ filly to contest Breeders Crown

Last start winner Amore Vita is about to embark on an Australian raid after pleasing her connections with her impressive Addington harness racing victory last Friday night.

Her trainer Steve Dolan told Harnesslink this morning that Amore Vita (Art Major) would contest the Breeders Crown harness racing series in Victoria which start in November.

“She left the stable last night and is heading up North today. She will fly out on October 6th, where she will be stabled with Nathan Purdon,” he said.

“I think Nathan will like her. She is a very intelligent horse, she works things out which typically the better horses seem to do.”

“I will leave it up to Nathan whether she has any starts over there before the heats,” he said.

The first Breeders Crown heat is at Maryborough on the 7th November with the Semi final the following weekend and the Final on the 20th November.

Amore Vita destroyed her opposition at Addington last Friday night winning by an increasing seven length margin and running a 1:57.1 mile rate with a closing 800m in 55 seconds.

“She was terrific the other night. That was more like what she is capable of,” Dolan said.

“Her first campaign was a real headache really.

“We just couldn’t quite work out where it had all gone wrong. She had gone huge at the trials but on race day the engine just wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders.

“At her last race Mark Purdon came in and said she was all done at the 1000m but she boxed on to the line for fifth.

“After we investigated a bit further, it was found she had a viral problem and a very inflamed throat. The vet set up a dynamic scope to check the airway with a camera while she was working and said it was like she was breathing through a straw.”

“So to stick on for fifth after her throat issues and to keep on going, where she probably was entitled to stop, shows you her talent,” Dolan said.

“This time in she got a clean bill of health and there was no excuses going into the other night and I thought this was probably D-Day for her.”

After the impressive win last Friday, Dolan is now more confident with the speedy filly heading to Australia.

“She was nominated and I sort of half planned for the Breeders Crown last year leading into the 2yo fillies, but they changed the dates due to Covid, which was a big help to us and that sort of made it viable again,” Dolan said.

“This time in I thought if we could get her right, we had the right horse to go over there and be competitive, but she really had to win last Friday and win easily.

“I told John just drive her how she feels, so for her to run home in 55 and 26 and win by that margin was really satisfying to me.

“Johnny came back in with some good feedback and I still think there is a bit of improvement left in her. I think I still have 10-15% up my sleeve, so I am happy with her at the moment.”

“When we get to Aussie I think we will need just a half an ounce of luck and we will be right in amongst it,” he said.

Dolans other impressive winner last Friday night Arabian Blue (Auckland Reactor) will probably race again next week and will be set for the $30,000 Show Day Futurity.

“He (Arabian Blue) went good last week. We have given him heaps of time. His owner Les Purdon has been patient with him and he’s grown into a nice mature horse and in six months time I think he will be even better,” Dolan said.

“Right now he is just in a good space and he has come through the run good, so we are going to look at the Futurity with him on Show Day.”

by Bevan Greig for Harnesslink Media