Ortensia
I was greatly enjoying the company of Alister Fraser and Paul Frampton at Scone Races on Monday 22nd July 2019. Alister was a busy committeeman of the club (one of very few) and Paul had just won Race 1 with rank outsider ‘Tann Hills’. Paul, originally from England, regaled us with his fascinating story of attending the very recent Royal Ascot Meeting as a privileged guest in a private box in the Royal Enclosure. Alister almost trumped his tale with a description of his own foray a few years earlier when his mare ‘Ortensia’ competed at Royal Ascot. She did not win on that occasion but Alister had witnessed ‘Frankel’ succeed on Day 1 and ‘Black Caviare’ frank her own fame on the final day. I was suddenly reminded that the success of ‘Ortensia’ was a Scone legend in its own right. Alister’s elder brother George had stamped his laurels as the official breeder of ‘Shocking’ who succeeded in the 2009 running of the Melbourne Cup.
In Memory of Ortensia 2005 – 2016
See: https://www.punters.com.au/horses/ortensia_25987/
Three-time Group One-winning mare Ortensia has died aged 10.
The daughter of Testa Rossa was well above average, which was clear from the outset as she posted 7 wins from her first 10 career starts.
She then went on to become a globetrotting sensation, competing in four different countries and winning at the highest level in three of them. Her Group One wins included a Winterbottom Stakes in Perth, an Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan (Dubai) and finally a thrilling victory in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York (England).
Ortensia actually claimed two Winterbottom Stakes but the race only achieved Group One status by the year of her second success; she also won a Group One Galaxy in Sydney but was later disqualified due to the detection of a prohibited substance. Connections unsuccessfully appealed the disqualification.
While she was at her best over short courses she proved competitive out to 1400m and was only beaten 2.25L in a Group One Railway Stakes (1600m). All in all she was a very talented and resilient mare who spent over three years competing at the elite level.
Condolences go out to the connections of Ortensia, as well as to her former trainers Tony Noonan and Paul Messara, and strapper Leah Gavranich.
In her fledgling career as a broodmare she produced foals to Choisir and Dance Ahead, before sadly passing away while in foal to Redoute’s Choice.
Ortensia was a winner of 13 races from 38 career starts*. During that time she amassed nearly $2.5 million in prizemoney. The Ortensia Stakes is a Listed race at Scone that was named in her honour.
*Unfortunately our stats only go back as far as her Caulfield run 21/02/2009, which is why the data in the Ortensia Details table contradicts what is written above.
| Ortensia Details | |
| Profile: | 13 year old bay mare |
| Career: | 33 starts, 10 wins, 5 placings |
| Earnings: | $2,497,084 |
| Trainer: | Paul Messara |
| Pedigree: | Testa Rossa x Aerate’s Pick |
| Country: | Australia |
| Foaled: | 16/09/2005 |
| Owners: | A D Fraser Ms A Fraser & Miss E J Ridley |
| Training History: | |
| Nov 11 – Current | Paul Messara Scone, NSW |
| Mar 08 – Nov 11 | Tony Noonan Mornington, VIC |