VAL NISTELROOY REGISTERS HIS FIRST WINNER

9th January 2007

VAN NISTELROOY REGISTERS HIS FIRST WINNER

Van Nistelrooy (USA) (Storm Cat) registered his first winner on 2nd of January when the smart filly Vanny Fair (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy) romped away for a two-and-a -quarter length victory at Wairarapa.

"She won very nicely," said trainer Ross Elliot. "She has done everything right from the beginning and even though it was a small field, she won by a good margin and was pulling away from them, Chris Johnson rode her and was quite impressed with the performance." he said

With a third and first in two trials already under her belt, this race was deemed a good starting point to get a measure on Vanny Fair (NZ) for Elliot, who has the $500,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Classique (1200m) on 3rd of February in mind if all goes well over the next couple of weeks.

Vanny Fair (NZ) was purchased by Australian-based owner Jim Simpson at the 2006 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale from the Trelawney Stud draft for $35,000.

The fifth foal out of stakes winning-mare French Flute (AUS), she is a half sister to two winners and was one of two yearlings by Van Nistelrooy (USA) purchased by Simpson at Karaka in 2006, the other being a $75,000 colt out of Clinique (NZ) (Dance Floor) who is currently in the stable of Noel Mayfield-Smith in Australia.

The progeny of Van Nistelrooy (USA) were well sought after by the buying bench at the 2006 yearling sales. Six of his progeny sold for over six figures at Karaka, while in Australia, his yearlings sold upwards of A$135,000 with a top price of A$220,000.

"He has progeny in the leading stables of New Zealand and Australia such as John Hawkes, Stephen McKee, David Hayes, Mark Walker, Gai Waterhouse, Mike Moroney and, Graeme Rogerson and Stephen Autridge and all reports suggest a big year ahead," said Brent Taylor of Trelawney Stud.

Van Nistelrooy has just completed his fourth southern hemisphere season at Trelawney Stud and has recently returned to Coolmore's Ashford Stud in America.

"He received solid support from breeders this season on the back of some good talk about his progeny from trainers and breakers," reported Brent.