Te Akau Taupo Trials' Report

Te Akau Racing trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards took horses to trial on Thursday 15 February at Taupo.

Weather: fine, Track: Dead5, rail: true

Heat 3 Open 1000 metres (head, ¾ lengths 59.4)

Heroic Valour (4 h Fastnet Rock - Myrrh) - Opie Bosson; settled off the leader in second, went forward in the middle of three inside the 600m and kept up a strong gallop without being pushed out to finish second.  Having missed racing last Saturday in the $200,000 BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m), because of rain-affected slow footing at Te Rapa, he had a hit out in preparation for the $100,000 Darley Plate (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 3 March (Derby Day) at Ellerslie.

Heroic Valour was the second top two-year-old of his year, unbeaten in three starts including the Diamond Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) and Matamata Slipper (Listed, 1200m). He was again near the top of the three-year-old handicaps, after quality stakes' performances which included a third in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), and now regarded as one of the best sprinters in New Zealand.  Owned by the Te Akau 2015 Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), he was purchased by David Ellis Ellis for $400,000 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Curraghmore Stud.  Notably, when winning the Diamond Stakes, he became the first two-year-old group one winner in the world for champion sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill).
Heat 6 2YO 850 metres (1 length, 3 lengths 51.6)

2 g Alamosa - Broadway Express - Chelsea Burdan; began well from barrier one, steadied to trail, received a rails run at the 300m and quickened through to win well. He provided the Te Akau apprentice with her first trials' win. Purchased by David Ellis for $135,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Riversley Park, he displayed plenty of talent in his first trial outing.  He is the first foal from the very consistent Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) mare Broadway Express.

“Alamosa continues to do a great job as a sire and Snitzel is proving an unbelievable stallion in Australia, his two-year-old progeny setting a record last season for individual winners (35) and he sired the winner of the inaugural $10m The Everest (Redzel),” Ellis said.

“It's no surprise that Snitzel is also developing into a top broodmare sire. His second dam is by Zabeel, in turn from a Success Express mare, the dam sire of Champion stallion Savabeel.  He is a really nice type and a straightforward sort of horse,” he said.

Heat 7 2YO 850 metres (¾ lengths, 4 ½ lengths 50.6)

Willpower (2 g Power - The Lady) - Dennis Tan; worked up to present three wide on the pace and kept up a strong gallop, drawing clear with a rival, for second.

Given time following his first trial in November at Matamata, he was purchased for the Te Akau 2017 Te Akau Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) by David Ellis, from the draft of Cambridge Stud, at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale for $250,000.  Power has made a tremendous start to his stallion career, not only in New Zealand but also Europe where he has already left a group one winner.  His second dam, Lady Dehere (Dehere), was an outstanding two-year-old and finished second top filly in her juvenile season, and first dam The Lady (Stravinsky) was a dual stakes winning two-year-old of the Murdoch Newell Stakes and Fairview Ford Stakes, both over 1100 metres.

Heat 9 Maiden 850 metres (1 ¼ lengths, 1 ¼ lengths 51.5)

Fine Bouquet (3 f Burgundy - Ensorcelez) - Cameron Lammas; began well from barrier one to lead, travelled easily and quickened without a lot of urging to contest the finish in third.  Bred by David Ellis and Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM and Graeme Mander, she carries a Northern Dancer and Nijinsky cross, and the third foal from a mare whose two previous progeny are both winners.

Heat 10 Maiden 850 metres (1 ¾ lengths, long neck 51.0)

Together (3 f Ocean Park - More to Love) - Opie Bosson; secured a lovely spot in fifth, tracked up turning for home and quickening to lead at the 200m she went on to record a smart win.

Bred and owned by Waikato Stud, she is from the lightly tried but talented Danasinga mare More to Love. Her grand-dam, Flying Floozie (Pompeii Court), made a huge name for herself as the dam of world-class galloper Starcraft (Soviet Star), a five time group one winner that claimed titles of Champion 3YO in Australia, Champion Sprinter in New Zealand, and Champion Miler in Europe.  Although passed in at auction, the Chittick family look to have another very promising filly on their hands.

Heat 11 Maiden 1000 metres (dead-heat, 3 lengths 1:00.2)

In A Twinkling (2 g Fastnet Rock - Moment in Time) - Opie Bosson; was caught wide in fifth, improved wider to the home turn and sustained a determined finish to dead-heat for first.

Given time since trialling in October at Ruakaka, owned by the Te Akau Fastnet Moment Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), he was purchased by David Ellis for $250,000, from the draft of Curraghmore Stud, at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.  Te Akau has had terrific success with the progeny of Fastnet Rock (Danehill), including 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Rock ‘N' Pop, now standing at Waikato Stud, with young stock starting to put their hands up on the race track, and group one winners Heroic Valour and Age of Fire, along with recent Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) and unbeaten filly Avantage.  His dam, Moment in Time, was a dual group three winner, dead-heating in a VRC St Leger, and winning six times from 1400m to 2800 metres.
Heat 13 Maiden 1000 metres (head, neck 1:00.7)

The Chaser (4 g Swiss Ace - Intelligentsia) - Nik Bakar; positioned fifth on the inner, three lengths nearing the home and changing ground to the inner at the 250m he mounted a strong finish for second.

In training for Gerry Harvey (Westbury Stud), his two starts for consecutive fifths through the winter on heavy ground each had merit and showed that a breakthrough could come at short notice.  He is from the family of Champion Two-Year-Old and Champion Three-Year-Old Sprinter, turned sire, Keeninsky (Stravinsky), and ready to resume racing.

3 f He's Remarkable - Andra - Jonathan Riddell; went forward to situate outside the leader, forced wide rounding the home turn and sustained a strong run to photo finish with the leaders - fourth.  Bred and owned by Mapperley Stud, she is out of the Zedative mare Andra that won two sprint races to 1100 metres in Australia, and already left four individual winners of eight races.  She is an improving filly and trialled very well.

Heat 14 Maiden 1000 metres (1 ¾ lengths, long head 1:00.3)

Devil May Care (4 g Lonhro - Devil's Song) - Cameron Lammas; received a sweet trip behind the leaders, ranged effortlessly on straightening and went on to win in similar fashion.  He registered a second and two thirds from three starts, before being freshened, and showed to have improved for the break.  Bred and owned by Sir Peter Vela, he is from the family of NZB Filly of the Year Vapour Trail (Jetball), winner of the New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m), and Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) winner Encosta Diablo (Encosta De Lago), with good horses from the breed shown to string a few wins together.
Heat 15 Maiden 1000 metres (1 ½ lengths, neck 1:00.5) - main picture

Miss Scandinavia (3 f Smart Missile - Miss Helsinki) - Opie Bosson; was positioned handily on the inner, in slower ground, and ran home without a lot of clear room in the straight for fifth.  Given time following her trials win in November at Matamata, owned by the 2016 Te Akau Scandinavia Syndicate, she was purchased by David Ellis from Arrowfield Stud.  She has an exceptional pedigree: grand-dam Miss Finland (Redoute's Choice) was Champion 2YO & 3YO Filly in Australia, and winner of five races at group one level including the Golden Slipper (1200m) and VRC Oaks (2500m).
Heat 16 Maiden 1000 metres (long neck, ¾ lengths 1:00.6)

Paulownia (3 f Fastnet Rock - Forest Native) - Opie Bosson; eased to settle one off in sixth, five lengths 600m, poised 400m, quickened sharply to lead 200m and taken hold to win as she liked.  Patiently handled by the trainers, and unbeaten in three trials, she delivered again like a filly harbouring considerable talent.  In training for thoroughbred powerhouse Coolmore, breeders and owners of the filly, she is a sister to Newgate Farm foundation sire Foxwedge, Champion second season sire in Australia, including group one winner and multiple group two winner Foxplay ($1m ATC Coolmore Legacy Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m).