Touchstone Farm sire Vital Equine sired his first winner at Nottingham on Saturday.

The David Evans-trained colt Ortea made every metre in front of the Calverts Carpets Stakes (1013m) and eventually won by more than four lengths from stablemate Royal Purse (Indesatchel).

Ortea (2c Vital Equine – Artistic by Noverre) was a 20,000 pounds buy for owner Phil Slater at the 2010 Doncaster yearling sale.  His dam is an unraced half-sister to Darley filly Firth Of Lorne who was a Listed winner in France.  Second dam Kerrera (Diesis) was a G3 winner of the Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket.

Vital Equine is an Irish bred son of Danetime.  He retired to Bearstone Stud in 2008 following a career in which he won three races for Eoghan O’Neill including the G2 Champagne Stakes.  He was also runner-up to Cockney Rebel in the 2007 English 2000 Guineas.

Touchstone Farm shuttled Vital Equine to Western Australia and, although originally scheduled to return to Bearstone, he has remained in WA covering 240 mares in his first three southern crops.

His first Sunspeed bred yearlings sold to $52,000 at the Perth Magic Millions earlier this year.  Top price was paid by Belmont Bloodstock for a half-sister to Tee Emar (Mossman) who has earned black-type in Doomben and Morphettville.