4 Win Saturday - Fashion Shoots Home

On a magic day for Te Akau owners - the stable notched up four wins at Tauranga ... here's the second!

With a Group One assignment ahead, Fashion Shoot (6 m Savabeel – High Fashion, by O’Reilly) recorded a timely victory in the $50,000 BOP Equine Vets Open Handicap 1400 metres on Saturday at Tauranga.

An astonishing winner of the Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m) during Cup Week (15 Nov.) at Riccarton, Fashion Shoot was solid when resuming in the Westbury Classic (Gr. 2, 1400m) on 27 January at Ellerslie, and finished strongly for second in the Lisa Chittick Plate (1400m) on 24 February at Matamata.

Bringing the right form, but facing a strong field, Fashion Shoot was ably handled by experienced jockey Kelly Myers, who settled her off the pace before sprinting home to grab a nose margin decision.

“Three back on the inner is where we thought she might be, but she travelled really well in the running and showed a sharp sprint which she timed well in the straight,” Myers said.

“I haven’t ridden for Te Akau for many years and it’s good to be riding a winner in these colours.”

On Soft5 footing, Fashion Shoot ran 1400 metres n 1:23.8, last 600m in 33.2 (approx.) and paid $5.40 & $1.70 on the NZ TAB tote.

Recording her seventh victory, Fashion Shoot will now prepare for the $400,000 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Easter Saturday (30 March) at Ellerslie.

“It was a really good win today and should give her that winning confidence before heading into the Breeders’ Stakes,” said co-trainer Mark Walker.

“I think we pulled the right rein (with that race in mind) going to Tauranga, rather than a trip to Trentham, and it's so good to see Kelly Myers get a winner for the stable.

“Fashion Shoot’s been a good consistent mare for a long time, is having a great season as a six-year-old and is going to make a beautiful broodmare when she’s finished racing. She’s got a great pedigree.”

A beautifully put together filly, owned by the Te Akau In Vogue Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn-Fenton Ellis MNZM), she was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $320,000, from the draft of Waikato Stud, at the NZB 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale. 

“It was a really good effort by Fashion Shoot to get up by a nose and congratulations to Kelly (Myers) who has always been a really good rider and it’s lovely to have her back and winning on a Te Akau horse,” Ellis said.

“She’s a tough and talented race mare, Fashion Shoot, and bis ecoming a very valuable and commercial breeding proposition.

“All the team at the farm and the stables has done a fantastic job with her and we’re seeing her racing at her absolute best now.”

Fashion Shoot is by eight-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), a Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m) winning three-year-old and Australasian sire sensation, who surpassed his grandfather, Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor), for number of stakes winners, and now second to his father, Zabeel (Sir Tristram), as leading stakes' producing stallion in New Zealand. 

Her dam, High Fashion (O’Reilly), was an immensely talented race mare with a terrific turn of foot, winning four races including the prestigious Desert Gold Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m), and Lowland Stakes (Gr. 3, 2100m).

Fashion Shoot was strapped by Errol Rich. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz