Te Akau Te Rapa Trials' Report

Te Aku trialed horses at Te Rapa on Tuesday 17 July -

Weather: overcast, inside track: Slow8, rail: true (Heats 1 - 12)

Course proper: Slow9, rail: out 12 metres (Heats 13 - 24)

Heat 1 Open 900 metres (long head, ½ head 58.5)

Melody Belle (3 f Commands - Meleka Belle) - Opie Bosson; settled in the trail, clear two off at the 200m and gained an advantage on the bridle to win narrowly but well.

Earning the title Champion Two-Year-Old last season, stellar filly Melody Belle was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $57,500 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Haunui Farm, and has now won $923,906 for the Fortuna Melody Belle Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).

She won the Karaka Million, Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at Awapuni, and Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, in succession, scored in the Mongolian Khan Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Karaka Million night this year at Ellerslie, and looks on song for a bright campaign.

Don'tblamethemusic (4 g Coats Choice - Blame The Music) - Nik Bakar; co-led on the inner and kept up a strong gallop without urging to finish in a line on the inner - third.

A winner of his first two starts, and three from eight in total, he was purchased as a yearling by Te Akau Racing for $22,000 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Sale, from the Three Valleys draft. Don'tblamethemusic has a Northern Dancer cross on each side of his pedigree, inbreeding to Nureyev on the dam side, and a Zabeel (Sir Tristram) influence as sire of his grand-dam Noubeel.

Heat 2 Open 900 metres (head, 2 lengths 56.4)

Gris Dame (3 f Reliable Man - Double Babu) - Dennis Tan; settled fourth on the outside, quickened widest into the straight and sustained her run for second.

A winner and stakes' placed in the Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (Gr. 2, 1600m) in her first campaign, she was purchased by David Ellis for $125,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Ardsley Stud, and owned by the Te Akau Double Trouble Syndicate (Mgr: Julia-Rose Ellis).

Half-sister to dual Group One winner MacO'reilly (O'Reilly) and a granddaughter of 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner and Filly of the Year Plume (Crested Wave), from a mare that has left the winners of 21 races, she inherited grey colouring from her sire.

Summer Monsoon (3 g Stratum - Princess Narine) - Tegan Newman; strode along nicely in front and kept up a solid gallop for third.

Owned by the Te Akau 2016 Sydney No. 1 Breeding Syndicate, Summer Monsoon was purchased by Te Akau Principal David Ellis for $200,000 from the draft of Newgate Farm at the Sydney Easter Yearling Sale.

A colt with good gate speed, he has shown professionalism in winning and finishing second in the Matamata Slipper (Listed, 1200m) from six starts.

Age Of Fire (3 c Fastnet Rock - Dragon's Tail) - Opie Bosson; was held together in the trail and happy to stay camped on the leaders under a hold through the line.

Second to stable-mate Embellish (Savabeel) in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), he gained Group One success in the Levin Classic (1600m) during a terrific three-year-old season that reaped three wins and nearly $300,000 in prize money.

Owned by the Te Akau 2016 Sydney Breeding Syndicate No. 2, he was purchased by David Ellis for $400,000 at the Sydney Easter Yearling Sale, from Erinvale Thoroughbreds.  He presented in bullish condition and has certainly developed into a strapping colt.

Heat 3 Open 900 metres (neck, head 57.7)

Swing Note (3 f Encosta De Lago - Andallthatjazz) - Dennis Tan; eased up three wide to the 400m and looked good getting the measure of two on her inner to win nicely.

Earning a start in the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) won by stable-mate and Champion Two-Year-Old Melody Belle (Commands), she had a very productive three-year-old season: winning well, third in the Zacinto Stakes (Listed, 1600m), fifth in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and fourth in the Lowland Stakes (Gr. 3, 2100m).

She was purchased by David Ellis for $60,000 from the draft of Turangga Farm at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, a sale where he also bought Champion Two-Year-Old finalist Gold Fever (Savabeel).

Jet Set (3 g Savabeel - Society Lady) - Shafiq Rusof; led, steadied to trail, up second in line of three from the 400m and kept up a solid gallop for second.

He was purchased by David Ellis for $440,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Blandford Lodge.

A half-brother to stable-mate and Karaka Million placed colt Kingsman (Darci Brahma), also Group One placed in Singapore, his dam Society Lady (O'Reilly) was a smart winner as a two-year-old, and grand-dam Logical Lady (Sound Reason) left champion 3YO Miler Final Destination (O'Reilly), a dual Group One winner of the 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Bayer Classic (1600m).

Bak Da Master (3 g Mastercraftsman - Bak Da Princess) - Nik Bakar; worked across to lead and he never flinched in finishing a close third.

Purchased by David Ellis for $90,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Leanach Lodge, for the Te Akau Master Syndicate, he had two seconds and two thirds up to 2100 metres from four starts in his first campaign.

From a Danske (Danehill) mare that is doing a great job at stud, with winning progeny of twenty races. He is a half-brother to Group One Easter Handicap winner Pondarosa Miss (High Chaparral) and Group One placed multiple stakes winner Ecuador (High Chaparral), in Australia.

Heat 4 Open 900 metres (neck, 3 ½ lengths 56.9)

Te Akau Shark (3 g Rip Van Winkle - Bak Da Chief) - Opie Bosson; began well to co-lead on the inner, travelled off the rail turning for home and once challenged inside the final 200m he showed his class to win well.

Impressive winning his first two starts and denied third by a whisker behind stable-mates Embellish (Savabeel) and Age Of Fire (Fastnet Rock) in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), he was purchased by David Ellis for $230,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock 2016 Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm.

Although from a strong staying family, he displays precocity to act fresh over shorter trips and trialled very well in preparation for the new season ahead.

King Kane (4 g Showcasing - Vannista Belle) - Shafiq Rusof; travelled boldly behind the first pair, ranged up three wide into the straight and was strong in his run to the line for second.

In training for former New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum and the Vermair King Kane Syndicate, he has won comprehensively up to a mile on two occasions and now more mature is shaping to win more races.

Beau Geste (3 g Pour Moi - Villa Wanda) - Chelsea Burdan; worked up outside the leader and without the zip over a sprint trip he carried on nicely in the straight for third.

An improver through his first four start campaign with two fourths and a second, he was purchased by David Ellis for $32,500 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Valachi Downs, and owned by the Fortuna No. 61 Beau Geste Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin)

He is a half-brother to multiple Group One winner Wall Street (Montjeu) and capable staying mares Villa Elba (Zabeel) and Chou Chou (Pour Moi).

Heat 14 2YO 800 metres (short head, 5 ¾ lengths 49.4)

The Real Beel (2 f Savabeel - Ahna) - Shafiq Rusof; was first out, steadied to fourth, five lengths back turning for home, held together in a nice trial performance for fourth and she rolled on solidly through the line.

Impressive winning on debut, and third in the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m), she then finished fifth to stable-mates Sword Of Osman (Savabeel) and Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m).

Purchased by David Ellis for $110,000 from the draft of Waikato Stud at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the famous family of Eight Carat (Pieces of Eight), containing Group One winners: Octagonal (Zabeel), Marquise (Gold and Ivory), Diamond Lover (Sticks and Stones), Mouawad (Zabeel) and Kaapstad (Sir Tristram). She is owned by Wayne and Jo-ann Phillips and a very valuable filly.

“The fourth dam in her pedigree is Eight Carat, the cornerstone for one of the best producing families that has ever been seen in New Zealand, and her residual value is immense”, Ellis said.

“You just cannot get a better pedigree than hers. The stallions on the dam side are of the highest order and she is a beautiful filly.”

Heat 20 2YO 800 metres (1 length, 11 ½ lengths 49.5)

Dublin Rose (2 f O'Reilly - Irish Dream) - Shafiq Rusof; began smartly from barrier one, held inside running on pace, cuddled up in the straight, and kept going under her own steam to win well.

A first up trial winner and second and third from three starts as a two-year-old, Dublin Rose was purchased by David Ellis for $130,000 from the draft of Little Avondale Stud at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

Owned by the Te Akau Dublin Rose Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), her dam Irish Dream, by Savabeel (Zabeel), won three races and a sister to Group One winner Shillelagh, Brisbane Cup (Gr. 2, 2400m) winner Tullamore, and the Te Akau trained stakes winning mare Grazia.

Already a valuable commodity, she appears capable of winning early in the new season.