Racing: Viz Vitae assigns Melbourne horror to history

Most punters are annoyed that one of the main national racing guides does not include form from Australia.

But such an omission does have particular appeal, at this point, in the case of Saturday's $60,000 Marton Cup winner Viz Vitae for Waikato part-owner and co-breeder Ray Knight.

"I was looking at the Friday Flash , which doesn't show his Melbourne form at all," Knight said yesterday.

"It looks like he's just carried on his good form from earlier in the spring."

Knight wishes he could omit Viz Vitae's Melbourne form. The horse had four starts there during the spring and was unplaced on each occasion. In one race he failed to complete the course when inconvenienced by a slipped saddle.

"Nothing went right. It was never anything serious, just one thing after another."

Knight did, however, have praise for Melissa Lammas who accompanied the horse to Melbourne on behalf of Cambridge trainer Murray Baker.

"She must have done a good job with him because he came back very bright, very well and fresh."

Before the Melbourne campaign, Viz Vitae had won over 2100m at Ellerslie in September. It came at just the third start and his first over a middle-distance for that campaign.

Viz Vitae in Saturday's 2200m event at Awapuni, Palmerston North, was having the third start of his present campaign.

He had resumed with a second at Ellerslie on December 29 and followed up with a strong-finishing fifth in the $200,000 City Of Auckland Cup (2400m).

Saturday's win took Viz Vitae to head of the New Zealand TAB's fixed-odds market for the $250,000 Wellington Cup at Trentham on January 28.

Yesterday he was listed as an $8 second favourite behind Envoy at $7. He had on Friday been at $12.

Viz Vitae has not raced beyond 2500m but Knight was hopeful the 3200m of the Wellington Cup would suit.

"I don't think you ever know if a horse is truly going to run the distance until you run them over it.

"But I'm hopeful he'll see it out. He's racing like a stayer now, more so than he was earlier on."

Knight, who stands Viz Vitae's sire Shinko King at his Ashwell Farm stud in Cambridge, said he would be hoping for a firm track at Trentham.

"I think the main thing with him is that he gets really good ground. It cannot be too hard for him."

Viz Vitae was ridden in the Marton Cup by Bruce Herd. He had the 5-year-old gelding mid-field on the outer and after being bumped in the straight by Lord Asterix was able to hold the latter at bay to score by a long neck.

A head away third was Prince Of Toffs.

A disappointment was second favourite Lilakyn who finished 11th.

- NZPA