Just when they thought her career might be over, ORTENSIA found a new lease on life to win on three different continents

ORTENSIA was a bay mare bred in New South Wales by L. D. Rhodes. She was just one of many successful sprinters and milers sired by TESTA ROSSA and was out of the Picnicker mare AERATE'S PICK. A winner of 13 of her 38 starts, Ortensia flew the Australian flag in a highly-successful international campaign in 2012. Ortensia won the Gr.1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai before going on to claim the Gr.2 King George Stakes at Goodwood and the Gr.1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York in England. However, her prospects were not promising before she embarked on her travels and subsequently revitalised her racing career in sublime fashion.

Commencing with the 2011 Winterbottom Stakes, ORTENSIA would achieve a remarkable feat within a nine-month period across three distinct continents, thereby establishing her as an exceptionally rare and elite racehorse. Her involvement with Perth's premier sprinting event had begun two years prior in 2009, when, under the training of Tony Noonan she secured victory in the then, Group 2 Winterbottom. This would ultimately be her final win for Noonan, as the mare had initially crossed the finish line first in the 2010 G1 The Galaxy, only to be disqualified due to a positive swap test.

A year later, and with her performance declining, ORTENSIA's racing career appeared to be over, and it was anticipated that she would transition to a breeding role following her five-year-old season. The ownership group were significantly impacted by the loss in the Group 1 race, leading to the decision to provide Ortensia with a final opportunity to demonstrate her capabilities as a racehorse under the guidance of trainer Paul Messara.

Expectations were modest. The owner, Alister Fraser believed the mare's competitive career was nearing its conclusion, yet he was eager to witness another victory. Had she not made a favourable impression on Messara, Ortensia's direction would have led her to the breeding barn; however, the trainer perceived a renewed vitality in her due to the Hunter Valley environment. She was an older mare who had done a fair bit of racing but really thrived with the change towards country life.

A listed sprint race at Flemington on G1 VRC Oaks Day served as a pivotal moment, affirming Messara's assessment that the horse retained a strong desire to compete. This victory held historical significance as it marked Darren Beadman's final winning ride in Australia. Following on from that, they had the opportunity to go to Perth, where Craig Williams delivered the perfect ride on Ortensia in the Winterbottom Stakes, sitting her just off the pace and delivering her into the race at exactly the right moment as she broke her Group 1 maiden in impressive fashion.

The opportunity then came to go to Dubai. The Al Quoz Sprint, held on Dubai World Cup night provided Messara with what he still says was a career highlight as a trainer. Jumping from barrier ten ORTENSIA was dropped out to last by champion jockey Craig Williams and when asked to improve at the 300m mark the well-travelled galloper showed a tremendous turn-of-foot to power home over the top of SOLE POWER and JOY AND FUN

Suddenly, the world was at Ortensia's feet and a trip to England for the Northern Hemisphere summer came on the radar. Her English campaign began at Royal Ascot, where racing's two unbeaten superstars, FRANKEL and fellow Aussie mare BLACK CAVIAR were the main headline acts on the card. Ortensia went out as joint favourite for the G1 King's Stand Stakes but the moment would prove too much for her, and she would finish ninth, beaten nearly seven lengths. Messara said she was dripping with sweat beforehand and had already run her race so it wasn't much of a surprise.

ORTENSIA then ran a super race in the July Cup, finishing fourth. It was a fantastic run and a testament to how well she was going given how much the mare hated wet ground. William Buick got off and said. "You should stick around - you'll win the Nunthorpe at York for sure." While Messara returned home to his pregnant wife, Leah Gavranich took over the rest of the preperation in England and they surprised the locals by opting to take Ortensia to contest the Gr.2 King George Stakes at Goodwood ahead of the Nunthorpe, but she came out and won anyway.

Ortensia's chances of victory in the Nunthorpe on an unsuitable wet track looked forlorn after she shied at the start of the 1000m race having been hit in the face by a discarded blindfold from another runner, however, Buick stuck to the plan. He understood her very well and was super patient and trusted in the mare. He let Ortensia find her feet and eventually made it to the inside the last 400m and she was too good in the finish. This ultimately marked her final victory on a racetrack, yet she had already established a significant legacy.

ORTENSIA was retired to stud in 2013, but sadly died in foal to Redoute’s Choice after developing a tumour in 2016, but her legacy lives on through her daughters ARTEFIORI (Choisir) and INFIORATA (Dream Ahead). Artefiori won one of her 13 starts for Messara while Infiorata never raced. Both mares had their first foals at Arrowfield Stud, with Artefiori having a filly by Dundeel and Infiorata a filly by Maurice. ORTENSIA demonstrated that surrendering is not invariably the solution, and occasionally, a shift in one's life can introduce novel challenges that re-invigorate the mind, body and soul.

RACE RECORD - 38: 13-3-4

CAREER EARNINGS - $2,464,751

G3 Thousand Guineas Prelude (2008)

G2 QTC CUP (2009)

G2 Winterbottom Stakes (2009)

G1 The Galaxy (Disqualified)

GH Mumm Stakes (2011)

G1 Winterbottom Stakes (2011)

G1 Al Quoz Sprint (2012)

G2 King George Stakes (2012)

G1 Nunthorpe Stakes (2012)