Vyta Du Roc

Last updated
Vyta Du Roc
SireLion Noir
DamDolce Vyta
DamsireGrand Tresor
Sex Gelding
Foaled21 June 2009
CountryFrance
Colour Grey
BreederAndré Le Gall
OwnerLouis Baudron
Simon Munir and Isaac Souede
TrainerM-L Mortier
Nicky Henderson
Gordon Elliott (racehorse trainer)
Record27: 7-4-2
Earnings£176,514
Major wins
Reynoldstown Novices' Chase (2016)

Vyta Du Roc (foaled 21 June 2009) was a grey AQPS racehorse. He was bred in France and trained in Great Britain and Ireland. His most noted success came when winning the 2016 Reynoldstown Novices' Chase.

Racing career

Vyta Du Roc was bred in France by André Le Gall. [1] He ran twice over hurdles in France in 2013, being placed 3rd in the second race, before joining the yard of trainer Nicky Henderson at Lambourn in England. He was bought by financiers Simon Munir and Isaac Souede (chairman of Permal Group). [2] He won his first four starts in Great Britain, including two Grade 2 novice hurdle races (the Sharp Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Winter Novices' Hurdle at Sandown Park) before, on 29 December 2014, coming a close second in the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury. In these races he was ridden by David Bass, Tony McCoy and Barry Geraghty. [2] In March 2015, Vyta Du Roc made the first of three appearances at the Cheltenham Festival, coming fourth in the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle. At Aintree in April 2015, ridden by Daryl Jacob for the first time, he came second to Thistlecrack in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle and achieved a career-high rating of 150. [2]

The 2015/2016 season saw Vyta Du Roc entered in three novice chases. He won as odds-on favourite at Bangor, came second as favourite at Doncaster, and then won the Reynoldstown Novices' Chase at Ascot. At the 2016 Cheltenham Festival he came fifth of 8 runners in the RSA Chase and then came fifth in a field of 28 in the Scottish Grand National. [2]

The following season (2016/2017) saw no wins for Vyta Du Roc, although he came a close second in the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown Park. He had just three starts in the 2017/2018 season, including a win at Cheltenham in January 2018. This was to be his last victory on the racecourse. In the 2018/2019 season he had four starts, pulling up in three of them and coming seventh of 15 runners in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, won by Tiger Roll, at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2019. [2]

In October 2019, Vyta Du Roc ran in two point-to-points in Ireland, coming fourth and second, and his trainer was changed to Gordon Elliott. He entered another point-to-point in November 2019, coming third. His final race was a 3-mile cross country chase at Punchestown over the banks course on 17 November 2019. He trailed home last of the fifteen finishers, 150 lengths behind the winner. After the race, a veterinary examination carried out at the request of the stewards found him to have blood in his nostrils, possibly as a result of exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage. Further examination revealed clinical abnormalities. [2] [3]

Vyta Du Roc won seven of his 27 races over fences and hurdles, and was placed on six occasions. He never fell or unseated his rider. He was ridden in 13 of his 27 starts by Daryl Jacob, retained rider for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. Vyta Du Roc had, over his career, amassed £176,514 in prize money for his connections.

Three months after his final race, Vyta Du Roc had been sent to an abattoir in England and was featured in the BBC Panorama programme, The Dark Side of Horse Racing, broadcast on 19 July 2021. Trainer Gordon Elliott denied having sent him to the abattoir, saying that he had been given to someone else at the owners' request. [4]

Related Research Articles

Ted Walsh

Ted Walsh is an Irish amateur jockey turned racehorse trainer who was born and raised in Co. Cork but based in Kill, County Kildare, Ireland. Ted is also father to amateur Irish National Hunt jockey, Katie Walsh and professional national hunt jockey Ruby Walsh.

Moscow Flyer Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Moscow Flyer was a top-class National Hunt horse over distances between 2 miles and 2½ miles (3.2–4 km). He won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2003 and 2005, the Tingle Creek Chase in 2003 and 2004 and the Arkle Challenge Trophy in 2002.

Paul Nicholls (horse racing) English horse trainer

Paul Frank Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007–08 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money. To date, he has trained over 3000 winners, won the 2012 Grand National, four Cheltenham Gold Cups and has been crowned British jump racing Champion Trainer twelve times.

Gordon Elliott is a County Meath-based National Hunt racehorse trainer. After riding as an amateur jockey, he took out a trainer's licence in 2006. He was 29 when his first Grand National entry, the 33 to 1 outsider Silver Birch, won the 2007 race. In 2018 and 2019 he won the Grand National with Tiger Roll, ridden by Davy Russell and owned by Gigginstown House Stud, the first horse since Red Rum to win the race twice. In 2018 he also won the Irish Grand National, with General Principle. On two occasions, in 2017 and 2018, he was the top trainer at the Cheltenham Festival.

Richard Johnson (jockey)

Richard Johnson is a retired English National Hunt jockey. Johnson is the second most prolific winner in the history of National Hunt Racing behind Sir Anthony McCoy, a long-time rival of Johnson's, with over 3500 winners. Richard Dunwoody previously held the record with 1874.

Big Bucks French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Big Buck's is a retired National Hunt racehorse trained in Britain by Paul Nicholls. He is owned by businessman Andy Stewart and specialised in racing over hurdles. At the 2012 Cheltenham Festival, Big Buck's made history by winning his fourth consecutive World Hurdles, confirming his status as one of the greatest staying hurdlers in history. He was retired on 13 March 2014.

Neptune Collonges French racehorse

Neptune Collonges is a retired AQPS racehorse. He was bred in France as an AQPS and trained in Great Britain. His most noted success came when winning the Grand National on 14 April 2012.

Sir Des Champs French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Sir Des Champs was a French-bred, Irish-trained AQPS racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. After winning only one of his five races in his native country, Sir Des Champs was transferred to Ireland and won seven races in succession including the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, Greenmount Park Novice Chase, Killiney Novice Chase, Jewson Novices' Chase and Growise Champion Novice Chase. The 2012/2013 saw the emergence of a rivalry between Sir Des Champs and another Irish-trained chaser Flemenstar. After beating his rival in the Hennessy Gold Cup, Sir Des Champs was regarded as a leading contender for the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup in which he finished second to Bobs Worth. He suffered a fatal injury when competing in Point-to-point racing in May 2018.

Albertas Run was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. He won two National Hunt Flat races and became a successful hurdler, winning the National Hunt Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final and the John Smith's Extra Cold Handicap Hurdle in 2007. He became more successful as a Steeplechaser, winning four Grade I races: the Royal and SunAlliance Chase, the Melling Chase and two runnings of the Ryanair Chase. His other wins included the Reynoldstown Novices' Chase, the Amlin 1965 Chase and the Old Roan Chase.

Rule Supreme is a retired, Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. During a racing career which lasted from May 2001 until December 2009 he won eleven of his forty-six races and was placed on nineteen occasions. He showed some promise in his early career but emerged as a top-class performer in 2004 when he won the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham Racecourse in England and the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil at Auteuil Hippodrome in France. In the following year he won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown Racecourse in Ireland. After his career in National Hunt races was ended by injury he had some success on the amateur Point-to-point circuit.

Back In Front is a retired, Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. The gelding showed early promise in National Hunt Flat races, winning twice and finishing third in an exceptionally strong renewal of the Champion Bumper. He was one of the leading novice hurdlers in the 2003–04 season, winning four races including the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in England and the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle in Ireland. In the following season he won the Morgiana Hurdle and was regarded as a Champion Hurdle contender before being sidelined by injury. Back In Front won the Bula Hurdle in 2004 but ran poorly when joint-favourite for the Champion Hurdle in 2005. He had little success when switched to steeplechasing and was retired in 2007, having won eleven of his twenty-five races.

Un de Sceaux French racehorse

Un de Sceaux is a French-bred AQPS racehorse who completed in National Hunt racing. After winning both his races in France he was transferred to Ireland where he won two novice hurdles. In the 2013/14 National Hunt season he was undefeated in five races including the Red Mills Trial Hurdle in Ireland and both the Prix Hypothese and the Prix Leon Rambaud in France. When switched to steeplechases he recovered from a fall on his debut to win the Arkle Novice Chase, Arkle Challenge Trophy and Ryanair Novice Chase in the 2014–15 season. In 2015–16 he won the Clarence House Chase but was beaten by Sprinter Sacre when favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase in what was his first defeat when completing a steeplechase. He began the 2016–17 with a win in the Tingle Creek Chase and followed up with his second victory in the Clarence House Chase before taking the Ryanair Chase in March. In 2018 Un de Sceaux became the first horse in history to win three Clarence House chases but was disappointed in Cheltenham by Balko des Flos when attempting to regain his Ryanair crown. He finished the season on a high by winning the devenish chase at Fairyhouse before surprising his stablemate Douvan at Punchestown under Patrick Mullins. At this stage of his career Un de Sceaux has won 9 Grade ones and has earned over 1,300,000 in prize money.

Bacchanal was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. He was lightly-raced, winning ten of his twenty races between January 1999 and January 2003. As a novice hurdler he won two of his four races and in the following season he won the Gerry Feilden Hurdle before recording his biggest win in the Stayers' Hurdle. He later developed into a top class steeplechaser, winning the Feltham Novices' Chase, Reynoldstown Novices' Chase and Aon Chase and twice finishing third in the King George VI Chase. He returned to hurdles to win the Long Distance Hurdle in 2002, but was killed in a fall at Cheltenham in January 2003.

Coneygree British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Coneygree is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. In a career which ran from November 2010 to February 2019 he ran in eighteen races, winning nine times. In March 2015, he became the first novice chaser to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for more than forty years. His subsequent career was hampered by injury and he did not run again in the Cheltenham Gold Cup after winning it.

Don Cossack (horse) German-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Don Cossack is a retired German-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. Since his second race the gelding has been owned by the Gigginstown House Stud and trained in County Meath by Gordon Elliott. He was ridden by many leading jockeys including Nina Carberry, Davy Russell, Bryan Cooper, Barry Geraghty, A. P. McCoy and Paul Carberry.

Thistlecrack British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Thistlecrack is a British Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt races. Unraced until he was five years old, he recorded his first win in a National Hunt Flat race in 2014. In the 2014/15 National Hunt season he won two minor hurdle races before improving when tried over long distances and winning the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle. In the following season he established himself as the best staying hurdler in Britain with wins in the Long Distance Hurdle, Long Walk Hurdle, Cleeve Hurdle, World Hurdle and Liverpool Hurdle. When switched to steeplechasing in the following season he made an immediate impact, taking the Worcester Novices' Chase before beating more experienced horses in the King George VI Chase. His later career was beset by injury problems and he never won again, being retired from racing in March 2021 at the age of thirteen.

Altior is an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt races. After winning one of his three National Hunt Flat races he was unbeaten in five hurdle races including the Sharp Novices' Hurdle and Supreme Novices' Hurdle. In the 2016/2017 National Hunt season he won six consecutive steeplechases including the Henry VIII Novices' Chase, Wayward Lad Novices' Chase, Game Spirit Chase, Arkle Challenge Trophy and the Celebration Chase.

Buveur d'Air is a French-bred British-trained AQPS racehorse who competes in National Hunt races. After winning twice in his native France he moved to England and won the Top Novices' Hurdle in 2016. In the following season he won two steeplechases before reverting to hurdle races to win the Contenders Hurdle and then recording his biggest success in the Champion Hurdle. In the 2017–18 season he was unbeaten, winning the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, Christmas Hurdle and a second Champion Hurdle, so becoming the second horse, after Kribensis, to win the Triple Crown of Hurdling. The 2018-19 season saw him win both the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and the Contenders Hurdle for the second time. In November 2019 he sustained a freak injury in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and did not race for the rest of the season.

Sizing John British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Sizing John is a British-bred, Irish trained thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. He is trained by Jessica Harrington and owned by Ann and Alan Potts, and is best known for winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2017. He has been ridden in most of his races by Jonathon Burke, but has more recently been ridden Robbie Power, including all four of his Grade 1 wins over fences. He also won a Grade 1 over Hurdles, the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2014, and spent much of his early chasing career finishing second or third in races won by Douvan, widely regarded as one of the best chasers of recent times.

Tiger Roll Thoroughbred racehorse

Tiger Roll is a retired Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing and won the Grand National in 2018 and 2019. He has also won five times at the Cheltenham Festival: the Triumph Hurdle in 2014, the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup in 2017 and the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

References

  1. "Les AQPS à Cheltenham en 2015". AQPS The French Chaser. 25 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Vyta Du Roc". Racing Post . Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. "Post racing reports 17/11/2019 Punchestown". Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  4. "Horse racing: Thousands of racehorses killed in slaughterhouses". BBC News. 19 July 2021.