Having her first run for us, and also making her hurdles debut, Bonne Vitesse made a winning start to her jumps career at Wetherby on Friday afternoon under our stable conditional jockey Emma Smith-Chaston, when coming home clear for an easy 17 lengths victory. Bonne Vitesse whose best flat form came on good ground, showed that she is just as effective on heavy ground, and she relished having eight flights of hurdles in front of her, she is an exciting prospect.
The following piece first appeared on the website in November 2020.
BONNE VITESSE. 17 March 2018. Fast Company-Mirabile Dictu. Owner-The Golden Cuckoo.
Bonne Vitesse is a lightly raced three year old filly who ran on six occasions as a two year old when trained by Brian Ellison, and four times as a three year old for the yard of Stef Keniry. She is the winner of one of her six turf starts, and has finished unplaced in all four of her all weather runs. Her dam finished runner up in three of her seven racecourse appearances between 2008-2009, earning a best rating of 75 (Irish.) She is the dam of five runners to date including the 92 RPR, Tres Belle. Her sire only raced at two, but was the 2007 winner of the Acomb at York, and runner up in the Dewhurst at Newmarket. Bonne Vitesse was seventh on debut at Newcastle in June 2020 over five furlongs when running green, but staying on once the penny dropped. She put that initial experience to good use eight days later at Pontefract when stepping up to six furlongs and keeping on well for a length and a half success on good ground. She was in at the deep end nine days later in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot where she finished last of the 13 runners beaten by 19 lengths. In calmer waters at Wolverhampton in September in her first nursery from a mark of 70 over six furlongs she was doing her best work at the business end, coming home in fifth, beaten by three and a quarter lengths. Towards the end of the month at Doncaster at the St Ledger meeting she took her chance in the Weatherbys Racing Bank £200,000 sales race where she only beat one home, but was only 12 lengths off the winner. Her final start at two was back at Newcastle over seven furlongs, where after pulling hard she finished in midfield. Bonne Vitesse made her three year old debut for her new trainer Stef Keniry at Pontefract in June 2021 over 10 furlongs where she finished a promising staying on third to her future stablemate (who also runs in the same colours) Dragons Will Rise. She was disappointing at Carlisle next time, where after missing the break, and then proving too keen, she hung right from two out, and never got involved. Back at Pontefract in August she once again lost many lengths at the start, but after consenting to race, she made rapid headway to eventually finish second. At Newcastle 16 days later she was once again slowly away, but this time failed to get involved. Bonne Vitesse obviously has plenty of ability, and if the change of yard can do the trick, then there are plenty of races to be won with her.
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