Veandercross
Veandercross | |
---|---|
Sire | Crossways (GB) |
Grandsire | |
Awards | |
1992/3 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year | |
Honours | |
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame | |
Last updated on 17 August 2011 |
Veandercross (14 October 1988 – 18 October 2014) was a
Veandercross was a brown, rangy gelding bred by Bill Luey at
Racing career
He was trained by his part-owner Chris Turner, a full-time schoolteacher at the provincial racing centre of
Three-year-old races in New Zealand
Veandercross showed immediate promise in the 1991-1992 New Zealand racing season when as a three-year-old he won his first three races including two listed events. He then ran second in the Wanganui Guineas to the front running Lodore Lady before winning the Okawa Guineas at Hastings. He was narrowly defeated twice at Trentham, in the Wellington Guineas trial (½ length) and the Wellington Guineas (by a head to Solvit). He easily won the New Zealand 2000 Guineas and the Bayer Classic (now called the Levin Classic) - both G1 races over 1,600 metres. Then he came north for the Avondale Guineas and once more ran home late, for third placing.
On to the New Zealand Derby and in a very rough race where the eventual winner Cavallieri (a horse who never won another race) bumped a number of horses sideways, cannoning a horse into Veandercross, who recovered his stride, but he couldn't quite overtake the winner, going down by a half head. The siren went, but in an extraordinary enquiry, the stewards dismissed the appeal.
In these races, he displayed what would become his characteristic come-from-behind style of racing. It made it more likely he would encounter trouble in the run, and he was often described as "unlucky in defeat." An increasing number of pundits were starting to blame jockey Jim Walker for his unlucky late runs but Chris Turner fully supported the jockey.
Three-year-old races in Australia
Given the immense promise he had shown in New Zealand, it was decided to send Veandercross to Australia for the autumn racing carnival in Sydney. In Australia, he would be co-trained by John Wheeler, of
Four-year-old racing season
Veandercross returned an even better horse as a four-year-old. He started with an easy win in the Trust Bank Stakes (G3) on his home track, then chased home the front running Conan in the Mason Appliances (G2) at New Plymouth. He reversed that result in his next race, easily winning the
At his next start, Veandercross won the G1
Veandercross returned as an autumn four-year-old, winning the
This rounded off an excellent four-year-old season, which had netted five G1 victories. At the end of the 1992/3 racing season, he was crowned Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year.
Five-year-old campaign
Expectations were high when Veandercross returned to racing as a five-year-old. He started his season with a sixth on his home track before he raced home in the Russells Akai TV Stakes (G3) at Hawkes Bay, just failing to catch, Calm Harbour, by a neck, with a neck back to Solvit. He then went over to Australia, where after a good opening run for fifth in the
Six-year-old campaign
Veandercross commenced his campaign with a sixth in the Trust Bank Stakes (G3) at Wanganui, but was right back to his best with a good run in the Enerco Stakes (G2) at Hastings, flashing home for second to new star Snap, with half head back to Solvit. He then crossed the
1997-98 season
After a long break Veandercross returned to racing in the 1997-8 season aged nine, with a big effort for a close seventh in the Waikato Draught Sprint (G1), then stormed home again for a close ninth in the Otaki Maori WFA 1400 (G1). He once more headed across the Tasman for one last Australian campaign, but couldn't recapture his form and was defeated by Octagonal in the Australian Cup at Flemington and failed to run on in the Easter Cup at Caulfield. Chris Turner then made the decision to finally retire this champion racehorse.
He had 40 starts during his career for 15 wins, nine seconds and four thirds, earning
Summary
Veandercross was a top-quality middle distance horse who became the dominant
Death
Veandercross was euthanized on Caulfield Cup day 2014 (October 18) aged 26.[4]
See also
References
- ^ The Age - Caulfield Cup Retrieved on 2009-7-20
- ^ "Veandercross". Racing Victoria Limited. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ^ ASB - Veandercross (NZ) Retrieved on 2009-7-20
- ^ Race ends for 'real character' Veandercross Wanganui Chronicle, November 5, 2014