Another First from Te Akau

Debutante Louis Luck (2 g Dissident - My Option, by Belong to Me) became the sixth juvenile qualified by Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards for the Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m) when winning the $30,000 Wellington Cup Day Next Saturday 2YO 1200 metres on Saturday 12 January at Trentham, and also notched the first winner for Newgate Farm stallion Dissident (Sebring).

Owned by Cambridge Stud proprietors Brendan Lindsay MNZM and Jo Lindsay, Louis Luck was purchased for $105,000 at the 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Little Avondale Stud.

Also Karaka Million qualified and under the tutelage of Richards, two-year-old Dissident gelding Challa, bought by Te Akau principal David Ellis at the same sale for $100,000, from the Trelawney Stud draft, was unlucky not to be the first winner for his sire after recording three short margin seconds from as many starts during a spring campaign at Riccarton.

“It's a great day and we're delighted with that,” said Newgate general manager Bruce Slade.

“We've come full circle really, he was bred by China Horse Club who raced Dissident with us and he went over to New Zealand, sold through Little Avondale, and we were delighted to see him doing it.

“I thought it was a pretty impressive performance, given he debuted on a premier day, taking on race experienced two-year-olds, and first up over 1200 metres. You could see him getting slightly tired late, but he was just a bit sharp for them. It's pretty exciting and he might join DC (David Ellis) and Jamie's (Richards) other two-year-olds in the Karaka Million.

“And Te Akau might have two in the race by Dissident, which would be pretty cool.

“Jamie is a young guy that is obviously going places. He's a very talented horseman and trainer, and to be fair he could be successful anywhere in the world that he decided or wanted to train.

“Te Akau has great systems and he's been delivered a great opportunity through David at such a young age to train quality stock, from a great facility, and surrounded by a top team. I'm sure he's enjoying the opportunity and he's certainly making the most of it. And it's an amazing thing by David to show so much confidence in him. He's an incredible guy for that, David, and he's developed a lot of good young people in the game.

“I'm a Kiwi and very proud to have grown up in New Zealand (Canterbury) and it's so nice to see Brendan and Jo (Lindsay) doing so well and shaking things up with their huge investment. It's probably the biggest international investment anyone's made in a very long time. And with people like Jamie coming through, there's a great group of young people amongst the ranks in New Zealand, from trainers, to breeders, traders, and agents across Australia and New Zealand.

“It's really exciting times for New Zealand. There are opportunities within the (John) Messara Report and we all want to see New Zealand racing strong, and I think things are looking very positive in terms of improving the structure. There are a number of good leaders and motivators with the right intentions in the industry that can make it happen, so I think it's exciting.

“It's good to have early success with Dissident. They sold well again at the Magic Millions Sale. We're over here at the moment and they've sold to a lot of top trainers including Chris Waller and Tony McEvoy.

“Obviously the next twelve months will be telling for him as a sire, but hopefully it will be exciting, too, with all these nice horses coming through.”

Louis Luck is the first foal from a dual Group Three winner of five races - two as a two-year-old - from 1200m to 1800m in the U.S.A, from the first crop of Australian Horse of the Year, five-time Group One winner, Dissident (Sebring). Trained by Peter Moody, Dissident was known for his exceptionally tough qualities when winning from 1000 metres to 1600 metres.

“I bought him as a yearling at the Magic Millions sales and he was a smashing type of horse, with a great action and a great attitude about him, which he carried into his racing career,” Moody has said.

“He was very good at two, winning his first start over five furlongs. He was a Group One winner at three and then four Group Ones in the top, elite, company at weight-for-age and handicaps showed his durability.

“Showing genuine qualities as a racehorse, he was virtually unbeatable at 1400m to a mile against anything in the land.

“I've seen some of his young progeny and he's certainly stamped them with his great looks and great head, and they just look like running horses. They're precocious, strong, and they've got a great hindquarter on them.”