31 Mar 2007
Cambridge Stud owner Sir Patrick Hogan has described the overnight win by Vengeance Of Rain in the $NZ7 million Dubai Sheema Classic (2400m) as the "finest hour" in the amazing stud career of New Zealand's multiple champion sire Zabeel.
"He (Zabeel) has 35 individual Group 1 winners and 17 sire titles to his name but this success at the World Cup meeting by Vengeance Of Rain is the biggest result for Zabeel and one of the greatest-ever triumphs for the New Zealand breeding industry," Sir Patrick said.
"Today everyone in the New Zealand breeding industry can hold their head high and share in this awesome moment of racing history," he said.
Vengeance Of Rain's two-length triumph in Dubai saw him become the greatest-earning racehorse of all time in Hong Kong with stake-earnings of NZ$11.7 million. The Dubai Sheema Classic is the world's equal richest horse race run on turf and as such Vengeance Of Rain has collected the highest winning stake achieved by a New Zealand-bred horse.
Vengeance Of Rain was foaled at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand and bred by Keith Biggs.
He is the first foal of the Group 1 VATC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Danelagh, whose second foal, his sister Dizelle, was successful in the Group 1 Australian Oaks in Sydney.
By Danehill, Danelagh is out of the Group 2 Perth Cup winner Palatious and is a half-sister to the Group 3 The Jansz winner Cable.
Vengeance Of Rain was sold for NZ$300,000 at the 2002 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale where he was purchased by trans-tasman Kiwi trainer Graeme Rogerson.
After initially racing in Australia as Subscribe, Vengeance Of Rain was on-sold to Hong Kong, where he has amassed an incredible record, with victories in the Hong Kong Cup, Hong Kong Derby, QE II Cup and Champions & Chater Cup.
Vengeance Of Rain, the 2005 World Series Champion, has now won five Group 1 races and after this latest major international success his trainer, David Ferraris, said: "This has to be one of the best horses in the world now ? he's beaten the best mare in the world (Pride) and now he's beaten some of the best colts."
Ferraris rang Sir Patrick in the early hours of the morning to praise the magnificent work done by Cambridge Stud staff in resurrecting the racing career of Vengeance Of Rain after he had suffered from an irregular heartbeat.
"David sent the horse to Cambridge Stud for four months last year because he was mentally fatigued from being in Hong Kong. Vengeance Of Rain loved being on the green New Zealand pastures and went back to Hong Kong a rejuvenated horse."
"David was very proud of the horse and said he was with a big team of connections in Dubai who were still celebrating the win at 3 o'clock in the morning and who can blame them," Sir Patrick said.
"David is now talking of taking the horse to Royal Ascot for a race like the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes," Sir Patrick said.