Vauclair (Wayne Agrella) beats Copper Parade (outside) and Mesmerize (Pic: Coastal Photos)
Trainer Tara Laing has done an outstanding job with the Var flyer Vauclair who racked up his eleventh win when storming home to beat the dual Gr1 winner Copper Parade in the R100 000 Cradock Place Stakes on the Fairview polytrack on Friday.
Vauclair’s win in the 1200m non black-type feature was particularly eyecatching as the 6yo had many lengths to make up at the 300m pole. But when asked, he produced an electric turn of foot under Wayne Agrella to win going away by a length in a time of 69,26 secs.
This was Vauclair’s third win from his last four starts and the gelding is a mobile billboard for the versatility,hardiness and gutsy ability of the Var offspring.
And it has been a prolific period of winners over the past few weeks for Avontuur’s legendary senior statesman.
After The West Is Wide had gone quickly early and Copper Parade had typically lacked for early toe, another son of Var, in Justin Snaith’s Mesmerize, looked a likely winner inside the distance – but he was cut down late by a strong run from Vauclair.
Flashback! The young Vauclair with his mom, Wild Aster
The Laing galloper was chased by the gallant Copper Parade, who had every chance but was just not up to the test on the day.
Mesmerize maintained his consistency by holding on for third, with the winner’s stablemate The West Is Wide fading to fourth.
Vauclair was bred by Pippa Mickleburgh, and is a 6yo gelded son of Var out of the 1998 Majorca Stakes winner, Wild Aster (by Elliodor) – who won 6 races.
Pippa Mickleburgh – buyer’s remorse !
Pippa went on record some two years ago, when she spoke about Wild Aster’s acquisition at a Lammerskraal Mare dispersal sale for R80 000.
“I had buyer’s remorse for a while afterwards. I had bought a barren mare for decent money and thought I was being crazy! But I wanted a Group winning Elliodor. She was one of the last left and she came from a really nice family. She proved a fantastic buy in the end. The Var / Elliodor cross has worked so well and I was so sad when she left us for the paddock in the sky,” she said.
Vauclair has now earned R629 530 in stakes and took his win tally to 11 firsts, with 10 places from his 36 starts.
He was purchased by Joey Ramsden at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 for R350 000.
He left Ramsden as a one time winner from eight starts for Tara Laing’s PE yard in March 2013 and has certainly proven another boon for the Jooste attack in the Eastern Cape.
