VANTAGE POINT (Vanbrugh) produced an impressive performance over 1000m at Trentham at the weekend, justifying the stable’s high opinion of the three-year-old gelding. His three-length victory took his record to two wins from only four starts. He showed an emphatic turn of foot to put away a handy field that included Group 2-placed filly VAHVAY and dual winner RONALDO.

VANTAGE POINT, the first foal of Turn Me Loose mare Shining Peak, holds a nomination for the 2000 Guineas in Christchurch and will now be set on a path towards the Classic in November. “He has been untapped to date. He ran a big fourth at Te Rapa despite racing three wide in the System Of Play race, and the form from that race has proven very strong. He then produced a dominant performance at Waverley on a Good 4 track as a juvenile before we tipped him out for a spell. To return with a performance like that on unfavourable ground shows we have a very talented horse in front of us,” trainer Cody Cole said.

Rider Matthew Cameron was suitably impressed too saying he believes that the 3YO will be better on top of the ground over 1400m and beyond. 
 

VANBRUGH, the Gr.1-winning son of Encosta de Lago, has made an impressive start to the 2026/27 season, siring five individual winners. Leading the charge is talented Australian metropolitan mare OCEAN BAY, who has completed a hat-trick of wins for the Gavin Bedggood stable. She is joined by five-length winner SAILOR SAM and promising debut placegetter NO CURFEW, a full sibling to WILD NIGHT who is held in high regard by the powerful Te Akau stable. With these exciting performers emerging, the future looks bright for the proven Gr.1 sire.

He is proving an excellent sire for young mares at the beginning of their breeding careers. VANTAGE POINT and dual Gr.1 winner MUSTANG VALLEY are both first foals, while stakes winner SHEEZ DOMINANT is only her dam’s second foal