By Bren O'Brien
For years, it was enough for Ray and Karen Spratt if the horses they raced and bred were able to simply win a race. But Vegadaze (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has raised expectations as they eye stakes success with the unbeaten 3-year-old.
Vegadaze, trained by Anthony and Edwards Cummings, took his record to two wins from two starts when he upset the hot favourite Ljungberg (I Am Invincible) in a bold front-running effort in a 3-year-old benchmark race at Rosehill last Saturday.
While it wasn't the first city winner for the Spratts, Vegadaze shapes as the most promising of the ten or so horses they have raced with Cummings over the years.
"We had a winner with Anthony years go at Randwick, so we’ve always liked working with him," Ray Spratt told TDN AusNZ.
"This one is probably the best we’ve had out of ten or so horses. They’ve all had a win, but nothing like him. Nothing as nice and nothing as good."
Vegadaze
Spratt's interest in racing, like so many others, came from a father who liked a punt, but it was a connection made with Anthony Cummings when their children went to school together which saw him begin to get more involved.
While busy running an office furniture procurement business, Jaysat, he tinkered with breeding and then a couple of years back, looking for a broodmare, he ended up buying a couple of weanlings from Gavin Edwards of Edwards Bloodstock.
"I had bought a couple of Lope De Vegas before and I was quite keen, so I picked him and a filly up as foals and bought Vegadaze's dam, Rainy Daze (Commands) as well," he said.
"We sent them both to Princes Farm and I got Anthony to have a look at them both. We had a buyer for both of them and we decided not to sell Vegadaze as it turns out on Anthony's advice."
Lope de Vega
The one they sold, the filly now called Black Bliss, is trained by Rebecca Waymouth at Mornington and broke her maiden on New Year's Day, while three days later, Vegadaze made his debut with a narrow win at Canterbury for Cummings and the Spratts.
Showing his best on raceday
Prior to that, Vegadaze had won a couple of trials, including one at Wyong back in early December but it wasn't until he hit raceday that he showed what he was capable of.
"Vegadaze has surprised us in what he has shown on the track, because he certainly doesn't do it at trackwork. He seems to do a number of things wrong at trackwork but gets to the races and doesn't want anything to get past him. He still needs to learn and he'll need to furnish a bit," Spratt said.
"Vegadaze has surprised us in what he has shown on the track, because he certainly doesn't do it at trackwork." - Ray Spratt
It is that potential for improvement which has Spratt excited about his future. His next assignment may well be in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince S. at Warwick Farm on February 9.
"I think he is stakes level. He may well go to the Eskimo Prince now. I certainly think he's a very good horse. He's only in his first prep now and he's nowhere near his best. He'll just get better. I'm hoping he can match it with some of the better horses that are out there," he said.
"He's only still learning and he's only a baby. Lope De Vegas take some time to mature. As a 4 and 5-year old, he’ll be a much better horse."
"He's only still learning and he's only a baby. As a 4 and 5-year old, he’ll be a much better horse." - Ray Spratt
Half-brother shines brightly
The dam, Rainy Daze, remains in the Jayset Bloodstock ownership, and is currently at De Burca Stud at Scone, run by David Burke.
After missing a season, she went to Vinery's Pluck (USA), the next year, foaling a half brother to Vegadaze who is now a yearling Spratt harbours high hopes for.
"He will go to town and be broken in. He's a nice colt actually. He's as good a type as you want. He's by Pluck and we are just looking at what we are going to send her to next year," he said.
Spratt has had to be patient with Rainy Daze. She wasn’t served in 2017, while last season she went to both Shooting To Win and Starspangledbanner for no result. He plans a nice and early service with her next season.
"We are pretty happy where we are at this stage and we are very happy with Vegadaze, he's certainly put the icing on the cake." - Ray Spratt
She is one of two mares the Spratts have at De Burca, the other one having produced a nice Pierro filly during the spring.
For now, breeding and racing still remain a hobby, but Spratt hopes Vegadaze can be the catalyst for bigger things to come.
"It’s taken a long time, but we are in a position where we are comfortable. The horses that we have on the ground look like they can race," he said.
"Most of the horses we have bred have been able to run. We are pretty happy where we are at this stage and we are very happy with Vegadaze, he's certainly put the icing on the cake."
"It’s just nice to have that horse that wins in the city and one with plenty of upside."
