he late New Zealand sire Atlante was credited with his first black type winner when the filly Riva Capri won the Listed O'Leary's Fillies Stakes at Wanganui on Saturday.
Atlante died after a freak accident at Mapperley Stud in 2016 after just two seasons at stud.
Riva Capri's victory conjured up mixed emotions for bloodstock agent Bruce Perry.
Perry, who selects and manages the thoroughbred interests of leading owner/breeder Lib Petagna, was thrilled to see the Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen-trained filly win despite the sting of losing Atlante as Petagna held a significant stake in the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas winner.
Riva Capri is the second foal of High Chaparral mare Chaparella who Perry had purchased for $38,000 on Petagna's behalf at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale.
Perry was philosophical about the circumstances surrounding the demise of Atlante.
"It can be a tough old game at times. When we lost Atlante it was a blow as Lib heavily invested in him and the mares we had bought to support his stud career," he said.
"Riva Capri's dam was one of those we bought specifically for that purpose so I know Lib is pretty chuffed to breed and own Atlante's first stakes winner."
With the death of Atlante Petagna and Perry had to make some commercial decisions about the broodmare band that they had assembled to support the stallion. It included the sale of Chaparella.
"A number of mares became surplus to our requirements once Atlante died so we did have to move many of them on," Perry said.
"We sold Chaparella in foal to Per Incanto at the 2018 May Sale at Karaka along with her Atlante weanling colt.
"Our thinking was if the family was to become a commercial prospect in the sale ring then it would be through the deeds of Riva Capri, who Lib had retained."
Riva Capri finished second on debut in July for trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen. She will now go to the G3 Hawke's Bay Breeders' Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings on September 21.
Riva Capri's half-sister Style By Design (Iffraaj) finished third in the Wanganui fillies' event in 2017.
Lib Petagna rounded out a successful weekend when he was voted Owner of the Year for the fourth successive year at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards at Ellerslie on Sunday.
Petagna had 14 winners or stakes-placed horses from 26 runners, including G1 winners Nicoletta and Crown Prosecutor.
* The Fraser Auret-trained 3YO gelding Cooga Doon (Makfi x Monachee by O'Reilly) won the Listed Wanganui Guineas by nine lengths to provide his sire Makfi with his 29th stakes winner.
Cooga Doon won his first start by seven lengths and is heading for the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.
Makfi now stands in Japan for the Japan Bloodstock Breeders' Association.
Cooga Doon is the second foal of Listed winner Monachee (O'Reilly), who wonb seven races and is a sister to the G2 placed Ciara (O'Reilly).
He was passed in for $50,000 in Book 1 of Karaka 2018.
New Zealand's champion stallion Savabeel produced the first 2YO winner of the season when his son Cool Aza Beel scored at Wanganui.
Trained by Jamie Richards, the colt was purchased at New Zealand Bloodstock's National Yearling Sale by Te Akau chief David Ellis for $NZ150,000.
He is the first foal of Cool 'N' Sassy (Testa Rossa), a three time winner from a half-sister to the multiple G1 winner Malaguerra (Magnus).
