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Champion sire Redoute’s Choice has reached a new milestone with his first Group winner in Japan.
The 5YO entire Fluky (Redoute’s Choice x Sunday Smile by Sunday Silence) also became the 80th individual Group winner by the son of Danehill with his win in the G3 Challenge Cup over 1800m at Hanshin on Saturday.
Vavasour, a classy daughter of Redoute’s Choice, won the G3 Waikato Cup (2400m) at Te Rapa in New Zealand on Saturday to go with her win in last month’s G3 Counties Cup (2100m).Vavasour was found to be in season on race morning and gave her stable plenty of concerns.
“It was quite nerve-wracking really, but she’s come out and done the job,” said Peter Williams, who prepares the mare with his wife Dawn and Paul Richards.The trio also prepared Natuzzi (Coats Choice) to win the Listed J Swap Contractors Sprint on the Te Rapa program.
Vavasour (Redoute’s Choice x Valpolicella by Red Ransom) was sold by Haunui Farm at 2013 NZB National Yearling Sale Premier Session at Karaka to GC Beemsterboer for $NZ425,000.• GROUP One sprinter Natuzzi completed a fine comeback from serious illness, the seven-year-old having undergone colon surgery earlier this year.
“It’s good to have him back,” said Paul Richards. “You should have seen him seven months ago, he was skin and bone.”Richards joined Peter and Dawn Williams in a training partnership at Byerley Park in the spring.
Natuzzi will head to the G1 Railway Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day without another run.Natuzzi also holds a nomination for January’s G1 Telegraph Handicap at Trentham. He was second in the Telegraph in 2014.