Princess Series on Tutta La Vita agenda after Rosehill victory
The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) may have a smart filly to his name heading into spring with Tutta La Vita set to target the Darley Princess Series in Sydney after getting off the mark at the third attempt at Rosehill yesterday.
The Chris Waller-trained filly became the fourth individual winner for the Arrowfield Stud’s first-season stallion, saluting as the commanding $1.85 favourite in the opening 1400-metre two-year-old handicap.
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Tutta La Vita appeared under pressure turning for home as she travelled behind the race leader Canadian Ruler (Vancouver), but demonstrated her toughness in overhauling that rival to win by a long neck. Gelatin (Snitzel) finished a length from the winner in third.
“It wasn’t pretty for a short-priced favourite,” Waller said. “But Kerrin took bad luck out of the equation and having her further forward probably took away a little from her finishing sprint.
“She got the job done. She is a two-year-old winner and can go out and come back to be aimed at the good three-year-old fillies’ races.”
Champion trainer Waller is having his most successful season with juvenile winners, with Tutta La Vita his 20th two-year-old scorer of the season.
Tutta La Vita, who is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt), built on a pair of runner-up finishes at her first two career starts to strike yesterday.
Having finished second to subsequent Oxlade Stakes (Listed, 1300m) fourth Zoukerette (I Am Invincible) on debut, she was narrowly denied by Congregation (Snitzel), who finished eighth in last Saturday’s JJ Atkins Plate (Gr 1, 1600m), on her next start at Rosehill on June 3, before yesterday’s victory.
Last year, Waller won three of the four Darley-sponsored Princess Series races, which kicks off next season with the Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) on August 19 at Randwick, followed by the Furious Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), Tea Rose Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), which are all split by a fortnight.
“The series is great, but it is a long path for the girls,” Waller said. “We have had success by missing some of them. Zougotcha won three out of three [having missed the Furious Stakes].”
Waller was also the trainer of five-time Group 1 winner The Autumn Sun, who made his winning debut in April of his two-year-old year, before winning the JJ Atkins and returning at three to win a further four Group 1 contests.
Waller believed Tutta La Vita to be gradually maturing, but she is showing signs of being an elite-level prospect.
“A daughter of the Autumn Sun, so I’m proud to be training his progeny – he was a superstar,” Waller said.
“She has a long way to go, but the whole stable has a huge opinion of her. She is showing all the right signs.
“She is a decent horse, and to get a win at two and get a bit more prize-money, she is now a proper racehorse with three races.”
Bred by Arrowfield and Planette Thoroughbreds, Tutta La Vita (2 f The Autumn Sun – Negotiate by Red Ransom) is the 14th foal out of the unraced rising 19-year-old mare Negotiate, herself a daughter of Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Euphoria (Marauding) and a half-sister to Listed winner Fleet (Dehere).
Negotiate, whose fourth foal was the Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Secret Agenda, has also produced stakes placegetters Sweetener (Snitzel), Donandkim (Smart Missile) and Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt).
She has a yearling colt by Arrowfield’s Dundeel (High Chaparral), as well as a weanling colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and was covered by Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) last year.
Tutta La Vita was purchased for $300,000 by Kevin Kelly on behalf of client Kevin Payne at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Kelly and Payne also teamed up to purchase Arrowfield Stud’s latest stallion recruit Hitotsu (Maurice) for $100,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions sale.