French-bred for Trelawney Stud

Press, 8 July 1976, Page 14

French-bred for Trelawney Stud

PA Wellington The Trelawney Stud, Cambridge, has purchased a four-year-old French-bred stallion, Vai Du Fier, for syndication. A well-performed galloper at two, three and four, Vai Du Fier was purchased during a recent visit to France by Mr James Otway, of Trelawney. The price paid for Vai Du Fier has not been announced, nor has the share price, but

it is believed the horse will have a syndicated value close to $250,000. Vai Du Fier was not only a good racehorse but is also a half-brother to a champion sire. Vai De Loir. Vai De Loir retired the winner of seven races and when he died in 1974 had been the leading sire in France three times. Dam of the two horses is Vali, by the Teddy line horse Sunny Boy from Her Slipper, by The Tetrarch’s son Tetratema from Carpet Slipper, by Phalaris. Vali left not only Vai De Loir, a French derby winner, but also Valeris, winner of the French Oaks and Irish ; One Thousand Guineas and Kahla, the winning dam of i another French Derby victor, JRoi Lear. Vai Du Fier is by the Worden II horse, Bon Mot, which is out of Djebel Idra, i by Phil Drake. | Bon Mot’s four successes on the track included the ■ Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe, ! La Bourse and the Prix de iLutece. He was runner-up in i both the French Derby and • the French St Leger. Bon Mot retired to stud in 1968 and to the end of the last season had sired the winners of 94 races, including the top stayer Lassalle (Ascot Gold Cup). He was exported to Japan i in 1972. A bay horse, Vai Du Fier ! raced at two, three and four. , He ran second and third over eight and eight and a half furlongs in three starts as a two-year-old, on both occas- ’ ions at Longchamp. At three he had two wins

and two fourths in seven races. One of his successes >vas in the Prix Dicta Drake at Saint-Cloud, which he won by a length and a half. This year he has raced twice. He won the Prix Sea Bird (lim) easily at SaintCloud, beating Hunza Dancer, and was pulled up by Yves Saint-Martin in the Coronation Cup at Epsom when he appeared to slip as he was leading three furlongs from the finish. Vai Du Fier is now in quarantine in England. He will be there for six months and will serve his first season in 1977.