Vessem takes out Superstars Championship

The Mark and Nathan Purdon trained Vessem was a comfortable winner of the Group 2 Superstars Championship in slick time at Addington on Friday night.

The 4-year-old son of Vincent capitalised on a perfect trip in the trail behind Beach Ball, dashing home up the passing to win by two lengths from Wag Star and Pinseeker in a very quick time of 3:06.7 (mile rate 1:55.5) for the 2,600m distance on a wet night.

Runner-up in last season’s Group 1 New Zealand Pacing Derby, Vessem has now won 10 races, three of them at stakes level, and $257,380 in career earnings.

Bred by Hazel van Opzeeland, he is out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Imke B, making him a full brother to another stakes winning son of Vincent in Vinke B.

With his oldest crop 5-year-olds this season, Vincent is forging a strong record at stud, with 66% winners to starters in the Southern Hemisphere and more than 180 winners, including 12 stakes winners.