Tye Angland takes the ride on Vaniloquio in the TAB Handicap
A holiday weekend Warwick Farm meeting would have been beneath Vaniloquio when he started his racing career in France.
But his move to Australia has undeniably paid dividends after a fruitless experience in Hong Kong.
The eight-year-old is enjoying a new lease on life at Clarry Conners’ Warwick Farm stable where he has rediscovered the art of racing.
He will be aiming for his fourth win for Conners when he lines up in the TAB Hcp (1100m) at his home track on Monday.
Vaniloquio began his career with four wins from a dozen starts but once he prevailed at Longchamp in May 2012, his form dipped dramatically.
He joined Tony Millard’s operation in Hong Kong and made his debut shortly before Christmas that year, the start of a frustrating 19 race sequence.
A fifth at Sha Tin was the best finish Vaniloquio managed and he was then retired to Rebecca Brown’s Hillview Thoroughbreds in the Hunter Valley.
Brown thought he still had something to offer on the track and she and Conners now race the gelding.
At his third Australian start, Vaniloquio made it to the winner’s stall at Hawkesbury last September and won his next start at Newcastle.
In all he has won three of his 14 starts for Conners and been placed six times, a welcome resurgence albeit it against lower quality opposition.
“There’s big numbers over there, and a lot of them can’t adapt,” Conners said.
“They’re locked up in a stable.”
To be ridden by Tye Angland, Vaniloquio is a $7 chance behind the Chris Waller-trained Best Guess and Akasaki ($4.60) from the Stephen Jones stable.
Vaniloquio has two wins and eight minor placings on rain-affected tracks which he will get on Monday.
