We had several nominations for Owner of the Month for July but finally settled on Jennifer Simpson,
part owner of the promising filly Viddora.

Jennifer was nominated by Cheree Gask and Jen has provided us with the following details about Viddora.

Viddora was purchased in 2014 from the Adelaide Magic Million Sales by Lloyd Kennewell for $40,000. She was originally purchased for our girls syndicate, but due to not enough interest at the time from the girls, she became available for the boys (I bet the girls are all kicking themselves that they didn’t buy in). I still remember getting my photo with her just after she was purchased and thinking she was going to be something special. She is by I am Invincible out of Snow Flight.

Viddora was bred by part owner Dr Terry Hodgson, and he also owns the dam Snow Flight. We were unlucky at the beginning as she had breathing problems, the poor thing would hold her breath for the entire 1000m, and still do a great job! We sent her to Ballarat to have throat surgery and that has since helped her breathing. She has now won 5 metro races including a listed win (in the Lightning Stakes at Morphettville).

She was unlucky last start in the Listed Norman Carlyon race at Moonee Valley as she simply didn’t handle the tight turn, but still powered home to nearly grab the winner – an impressive horse called Heatherly.

Viddora has also been unlucky in some of her other starts, but she always tries her best. She is extremely tough, showing us she can handle all sorts of tracks and can win from outside barriers. I named her – Viddora which in Spanish means – good life, easy life…. the funny thing is, I accidentally spelt it wrong when I sent it through to Lloyd! It’s meant to be spelt Viddora. Being an educator they have not let me live it down! We think now the misspelling has turned out to be lucky!

Viddora is an absolutely beautiful natured horse, loves a pat and a cuddle but when she’s on the track she is the complete professional. One of the best things about part owning her is the lifelong friendships that have formed with the other owners. We have wonderful people from SA and Melbourne in the horse who love a drink and social day at the races as much as I do!

We leave everything up to Lloyd with her training and racing plan. He does a wonderful job with her, knows exactly what to do and where to place her. The Kennewell stable has a real social vibe, it’s more than simply owning a horse – we have many get-togethers and are treated as family, rather than clients. We always know that our (the owners) best interests are always put first. We are also blessed that my husband to be Joe Bowditch is her jockey! He knows her inside out and we always have so much confidence when he’s on her back. He wasn’t able to ride her on 2 occasions due to injury (one missing a black type win when she was ridden by Matthew Neilson) while apprentice Zac Spain has also won on her at Oakbank.

She has won us $246,300 with $58,500 of that being in SABOIS bonuses. Viddora has also been named the 3 year old SABOIS Horse of the Year. The fact that Viddora has won over fifty thousand dollars in SABOIS bonuses really demonstrates the value of this scheme to those of us prepared to support South Australian bred horses. Viddora’s sire I Am Invincible needs little introduction as the sire of 14 stakes winners of 21 stakes races after a successful race career winning to Group 3 level. His best progeny to date being the multiple Group 1 winner and Royal Ascot placed Brazen Beau. I Am Invincible is of course by Invincible Spirit who is also the sire of Zebedee, already a great success in the northern hemisphere and now with the first foals of his initial Australian crop on the ground at Cornerstone Stud where he has returned for his second season in Australia.

Snow Flight, the dam of Viddora is by the Zabeel stallion Colombia out of Zed Du Jour, a Zedative mare. Viddora is her second foal and so far her best. Colombia, the dam sire, is out of the amazing blue hen Eight Carat who has left 5 stakes winners of a massive 28 stakes races. She is of course the dam of the mighty Octagonal.

Jennifer Simpson owns shares in several other horses, some with her “girls syndicate” and has recently joined the committee of SAROA. We wish Jennifer further success with Viddora and with her other racing projects.