Te Akau Waipa Trials' Report

Te Akau Racing trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards took horses to trial on Tuesday 17 April at Waipa.

Weather: cloudy, Track: Heavy10, rail: out 9 metres

Heat 1 2YO 850 metres (½ a length, 2 ¼ lengths 54.0)

Publicist (2 c Redoute's Choice - Valadon) - Michael McNab; began well to race handily in third, lost a length or two around the tight home turn and ran home without pressure for fifth in going not to his liking.

He was purchased for $560,000 by David Ellis at the 2017 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Highgrove Stud, for the Te Akau 2017 Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Previous breeding syndicates have unearthed Darci Brahma (Danehill), Rock ‘N' Pop (Fastnet Rock), Burgundy (Redoute's Choice), Xtravagant (Pentire), Age of Fire (Fastnet Rock), Embellish (Savabeel) and Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock).  By the undisputed king of Australian sires Redoute's Choice, son of the most successful sire of all time in Danehill (Danzig), his dam sire, Woodman (Mr. Prospector), who left 109 stakes winners, has also left more than one-hundred stakes winners as a broodmare sire.

Heat 2 2YO 850 metres (7 ½ lengths, long head 55.2)

Ritzy Sparkle (2 f Pins - Kumari) - Cameron Lammas; began smartly to lead, travelled sweetly and extended a three length margin around the home turn to win impressively.

From a Zabeel mare that impressed winning over 1600 metres, in training for the Jimanda Syndicate which includes one of her breeders Jim Barlow. Barlow developed the classy family going back to her grand-dam Vedodara (Kreisler), and the Te Aroha Breeders' Stakes winner Balmacara (Bassenthwaite).

Also, Hawkes Bay Guineas winner Shastri (Stravinsky), Cuddle Stakes winner Bhandara (Zabeel), and Avondale Cup winner Sharvasti (Montjeu), that in turn has left Baradevi (Volksraad) who produced Te Akau two-year-old winner Byzantine (Savabeel).  More recently, her year older half-sister by Sebring (More Than Ready), Semari, recorded her second win (2000m) from four starts in Australia.

Heat 3 2YO 850 metres (long head, 1 ½ lengths 53.0)

2 f Savabeel - Ampin - Michael McNab; settled rearward, seven lengths 600m, but picked up nicely between runners in the straight for fourth.

Bred and owned by Bill and Margaret Gartshore and Jim and Susan Gartshore, she is the first foal from an unraced Pins (Snippets) mare Ampin, in turn from the impressive winning race mare Ambitious (Last Tycoon) who finished second in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and left seven individual winners of 21 races.

Seaforth Lass (2 f Ocean Park - Down View) - Shafiq Rusof; worked up midfield on the inner and ran home solidly for fifth.

In training for Oliver Saxton, she is a half-sister to Champion 2YO & 3YO Filly in Singapore, Mexican Rose (Volksraad), and Te Akau trained winner of three and Group Three placed filly Latin Rose (Mastercraftsman).

Heat 4 2YO 850 metres (head, ¾ lengths 55.4)

Byzantine (2 c Savabeel - Baradevi) - Shafiq Rusof; began well from the outside gate to lead. Happy to course well off the rail, he kept up a strong gallop to win.

Owned by the Te Akau 2017 Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Byzantine was purchased by David Ellis for $200,000 from the draft of Little Avondale Stud at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

He made a positive start to his career when fighting hard for second in the Maiden 2YO 1000 metres on 10 March at Trentham, before scoring a valuable two-year-old win on 28 March on Matamata, and trialled in preparation for the $50,000 Waikato Equine Vets 2YO Stakes (Listed, 1200m) on Saturday 5 May at Te Rapa.  His grand-dam, Sharvasti (Montjeu), won the Avondale Cup (Gr. 1, 2200m) and finished second in two other Group Ones. Third dam, Vedodara (Kreisler) won the Hawkes Bay Guineas (Listed, 1400m) and finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m).

Sunny Rose (2 f Tavistock - Sara Ann) - Tegan Newman; began well to take up a handy position on the inner, not pressured, and was good through the line just behind the leaders.

She is in training for breeders Lady Justine & Sir Patrick Hogan, along with Mrs D F Bibby, M D Borrie, B S & G J Douglas, D A Fabling, D Gardner, D A Julian, Mrs J L Martinovich, R A McPhee & A R Paul.

From a terrific Cambridge Stud family, she is a sister to Australian Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) winner Tavago, while her second dam, Tricia Ann (Zabeel) is a three-quarter sister to Grosvenor (Sir Tristram) and left classy Group filly La Sizeranne (Stravinsky).

Heat 5 2YO 850 metres (½ a length, 2 ½ lengths 55.0)

Total Excess (2 g Delago Deluxe - Avail) - Shafiq Rusof; was held together four wide on the pace, took an advantage to the home turn and without urging maintained a good action in second.

He was purchased by David Ellis at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, for $200,000, from the draft of Regal Farm.

A really nice horse, beautifully balanced, athletic, and very much in the mould of his sire Delago Deluxe (Encosta De Lago). By champion sire Encosta De Lago, Delago Deluxe was sold as a yearling in Australia, becoming an unbeaten Champion 2YO in South Africa, and a Group One winner at two and three years of age. His yearlings have sold up to $250,000.  The first foal for the dam, in turn from the Zabeel mare Avabelle, his third dam, Eye Full (Palatable), was a highly regarded winner of 11 races including the Hawkes Bay Cup (Gr. 3, 2200m) and finished second in the then Group One New Zealand Cup (3200m).

Dundeel's Girl (2 f Dundeel - Mirovaya) - Chelsea Burdan; positioned sixth on the inner from a handy gate and made good progress near the rail for fourth.

A beautiful filly, she was purchased by David Ellis for $95,000, from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm, at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.  A filly from the first crop of remarkable racehorse Dundeel (High Chaparral), who stamped himself as well above average from the day he blew his two-year-old rivals off the track on debut over 1200 metres at Ellerslie.

He racked up titles on both sides of the Tasman: Champion 3YO and Horse of the Year in New Zealand, and Champion Middle Distance horse in Australia. Ending his racing career winning the $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Royal Randwick, his progeny have been highly sought after.  Her dam, Mirovaya, is by the undisputed king of Australian sires, Redoute's Choice, a son of the most successful sire of all time in Danehill (Danzig), from a second dam, Miss Kournikova (Mr Greeley), who was Joint top Filly in the Australasian 3YO classifications and became a sensational broodmare.

Heat 6 2YO 850 metres (7 ½ lengths, ½ a length 54.2)

Weaponry (2 g Declaration of War - Cat Shmea) - Nik Bakar; settled in a gap, sixth, six lengths 600m, tracked up nicely around the home turn and rounded off solidly for third.

From the draft of Curraghmore Stud, he was purchased by David Ellis for $140,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.  He is a really good looking colt, from the first crop of a stallion that was very impressive when winning the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) at Royal Ascot.

“Anyone that saw Declaration of War's win at Ascot would have realised what a special horse he was for trainer Aidan O'Brien, at Ballydoyle, and he went on to win one of the highest rated races in the world - the York International (Gr. 1, 2000m)” Ellis said.  “His dam, Cat Shmea, has already left a Group One winner (Velocitea) of the Goodwood Stakes, over 1200 metres in Adelaide, and the Northern Dancer cross is beautifully balanced in his pedigree.

Enduring Love (2 f Camelot - Holy Moly) - Cameron Lammas; began well to take up a handy position in fourth and held together for fifth she was good through the line.

Owned by the Te Akau Queen of Camelot Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis), she was purchased by David Ellis for $250,000, from the draft of Coolmore Stud, at the 2017 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.  Both her dam Holy Moly (Holy Roman Emperor) and the grand-dam Clarissa (Zabeel) were impressive winners on home soil in New Zealand.

“She is a beautiful filly by the very exciting young stallion Camelot (Montjeu), who is probably one of the best racehorses that Coolmore has ever brought to Australia,” Ellis said.  “We kept a close eye on Holy Moly when she was racing here and obviously she was a very good filly herself.”

Holy Moly won on debut as a two-year-old and showed her inherent ability when successful in the Soliloquy Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Ellerslie, before placing in the Sarten Memorial (Gr. 3, 1400m) at Te Rapa. This is her first foal.

Heat 7 2YO 850 metres (1 ¼ lengths, short neck 56.3)

Grand Ariana (2 f Snitzel - Enduja) - Shafiq Rusof; began well to situate outside the leader in a line of four and showed plenty of determination in tight quarters for a close third.

Failing to meet her reserve at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, she was purchased privately by David Ellis and owned by the Fortuna Miss Ariana Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).  By one of three in the trilogy of breed shaping champion stallions in Australia: Danehill (Danzig), Redoute's Choice (Danehill), and Snitzel (Redoute's Choice), who recently sired Te Akau first up winner Pacific Coast, and produced a record number (35) of two-year-old winners last season in Australia.

Dam sire Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) is a Champion broodmare sire, setting an Australian record last year for progeny earnings in a single season, and his influence in any pedigree is excellent.

Heat 13 Maiden 850 metres (2 ¾ lengths, 2 lengths 55.1)

Witchery (3 f Savabeel - Now the World) - Tegan Newman; began smartly from barrier one, eased for cover in third, tracked up off the rail in fourth rounding the home turn and ran on strongly for third.

Witchery is in training for Gerry Harvey (Westbury Stud). Her dam is by Golden Slipper winning Champion sire of 89 stakes winners Flying Spur (Danehill). She trialled well in August at Te Teko, continued to improve through two trials in November, and now preparing to race.

Heat 16 Open 850 metres (1 length, 1 ¼ lengths 55.0)

Tiffany's Time (4 m Alamosa - Tinsel Time) - Chelsea Burdan; was caught wide off the outside gate and flushed wider around the home turn, but looked good winding up through and after the line.

Consistent in four starts before her Maiden victory, she came of age when winning again during a successful spring campaign at Riccarton, and preparing to resume racing.  Bred by Greg Tomlinson (Nearco Stud) and offered by Bradbury Park at the 2015 NZB Select Yearling Sale, she was purchased by David Ellis for $55,000.

Heat 17 Open 850 metres (3 ¾ lengths, 1 length 55.2)

Wandering Eye (3 g Commands - Adulterer) - Nik Bakar; positioned amongst horses on a competitive pace and rolled on in the straight without serious urging for fifth, in a tidy trial.

Purchased by David Ellis for $130,000 from the draft of Woodside Park Stud at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he transferred good trial form to win early in the season, has two seconds, third, and fourth in his form line from six starts, and preparing to resume.

His dam, Adulterer (Traditionally), was a dual winner over 1200 metres in Australia, and grand-dam It's My Sin (Success Express) won impressively up to 1400 metres before proving her talent at stud when leaving twelve individual winners of 39 races.

Heat 25 Maiden 1150 metres (4 ¾ lengths, 1 ½ lengths 1:14.8)

Meteoric Lass (3 f Stratum - Benatar) - Shafiq Rusof; began well from barrier one to lead, tracked wider approaching the home turn and ran on solidly for second in a tidy trial performance.

Purchased by David Ellis for $50,000 at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Kitchwin Hills, he is owned by the Fortuna No. 60 Meteoric Lass Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin). She is a sister to dual stakes winner Meteoroid (Northern Meteor).

Heat 27 Open 1150 metres (½ a length, 1 ¼ lengths 1:15.5)

Vinevale (5 m Flying Spur - Eden Valley) - Nik Bakar; eased off the outside gate to last, eight lengths 600m, improved against the rail rounding the home and made ground stylishly into fourth.

Bred and owned by Trelawney Stud (Brent & Cherry Taylor) and raced by them along with Jans Trust, Jake & Jude Moreland, Faith & Jane Taylor, Jay Benton & Scott Malcolm, Vinevale is a talented winner of three races, acts fresh, and looks set for another good campaign.

Her race winning dam, Eden Valley (Zabeel), is a sister to multiple stakes winner Hill of Grace who won over $2 million in prize money.

Heat 29 Open 1150 metres (3 lengths, 1 ½ lengths 1:15.1)

Aquilo (3 g Snitzel - My My Maree) - Shafiq Rusof; was handily placed throughout, fourth around the home turn and fought solidly for fourth.

Purchased by David Ellis for $200,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, Aquilo is a half-brother to Group One winning two-year-old Marky Marky (Makfi).

After beating subsequent three time winner Felton Road (Pins) in his first trial, Aquilo won at his second start as a two-year-old before finishing third in the Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (Listed, 1100m) in May at Te Rapa. Without a win during three starts in his second campaign, he is gearing up to race with some give in the ground.