4 Win Saturday - NZ Group 2 Glory Captured By Love

In brilliant fashion, Captured By Love (2 f Written Tycoon – Moldova, by Snitzel) won the $150,000 J Swap Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) on Saturday at Matamata.

Unbeaten in all four starts, Captured By Love impressively won the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m) in December at Trentham, and resumed with victory on unsuitable heavy ground in the Taranaki 2YO Classic (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 3 February at New Plymouth.

Captured By Love provided a hat-trick in the race for Te Akau, after Zourion (Zoustar) won last year and Champion Two-Year-Old homebred filly Maven Belle (Burgundy) the year before, while recording their tenth victory in the local Derby.

In what was billed as a match race between Captured By Love and favourite Alabama Lass (Alabama Express), an impressive debut course winner, it was Captured By Love that descended on the leaders turning for home, got the measure of Alabama Lass 200m out, and had the audacity to prick her ears over the concluding stages.

“She travelled beautifully, had a good look at the winning post when she eased up, but she’s all class,” Bosson said.

“It’s a very special this race and I’ve been fortunate to win it a few times. I think you’ve just seen a top-class filly win it again and you just can’t get enough of them.”

On footing upgraded to Good3, Captured By Love ran 1200 metres in 1:10.3, last 600m in 34.9, and paid $2.90 & $1.20 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“She’s got a lot of star qualities about her and it really was another terrific win by her today,” said Mark Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson.

“She not only has natural talent, but also a tremendous will to win and all roads lead to the Group One now.”

Walker was referring to the $450,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) on Saturday 9 March at Ellerslie.

“She’s certainly a very exciting filly and what she’s doing as a two-year-old could be a bonus to what she does at three, as she looks the type to keep getting better with age,” Walker added.

Owned by Te Akau 2023 Magic Fillies’ Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Captured By Love was purchased by David Ellis CNZM in January at the 2023 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Milburn Creek.

“What a thrill for us to win this race again, it’s very exciting and I’m especially happy to provide Sam Bergerson with his first win in the Matamata Breeder’s Stakes,” Ellis said.

“It keeps our colours to the forefront on the jockey statue in the birdcage and it’s a race that we just love to compete in and try to win.

“She’s a very exciting filly, one of two very good fillies in the breeding syndicate from that year, and to have one of this quality and class is very pleasing for the owners.

“It’s a credit to everyone involved in Te Akau Racing, at the stables in Matamata, on the farm at Te Akau Stud, and congratulations to Opie (Bosson) on another very well thought out ride.

“Also a special thanks to our racing manager Reece Trumper, who is doing a fantastic job in the role and a great help to Karyn and me when it comes to syndicating the horses.”

Captured By Love is part of a two-filly partnership syndicate, put together by Ellis, which includes debut winner The Victress (Zousain), while this year the Fillies’ Breeding Syndicate is formed by two recent purchases from the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale: Lot 81 Snitzel filly and Lot 327 Savabeel filly. 

By an outstanding sire, Written Tycoon (Iglesia) topped the Australian General Sires’ List in 2021 after rising from an initial service fee of $8,250 to command $165,000 and now has a private fee.

Leading First Season Sire and Champion Two-Year-Old Sire, Written Tycoon has produced horses to win 130 stakes' races including 16 Group Ones, and already a sire of sires with Golden Slipper (Gr. 1, 1200m) winner Capitalist, Group One winners Written By and Ole Kirk, and Rich Enuff, Winning Rupert. 

Dam-sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), a two-time Champion Sire of Two-Year-Olds in Australia, equalled then surpassed Danehill with a record number of individual two-year-old winners in a season – a mark that now stands at 35. He has also headed the General Sires’ List twice and Australian Champion Sire in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

As a broodmare sire, Snitzel, a son of Champion Broodmare Sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), is increasingly making his presence felt and last season his daughters left 10 stakes winners.

Captured By Love is the first foal of Moldova, who won twice at 1100 metres in Australia, while the dam-line has mated tremendously with eight time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), including multiple stakes winner Savvy Nature, stakes winner Addictive Nature, and 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Hasahalo.

Continuing to support the Matamata Racing Club, as are many local sponsors, it was the 15th year of sponsorship by the Swap family of the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes.

“It’s one of the finest meetings in this part of the North Island - the Matamata Racing Club board and everyone involved does such a wonderful job in bringing it all together,” said Karyn Fenton-Ellis CNZM, accepting on behalf of the owners.

“We’re thrilled at Te Akau to call this our home club and the racing and training facilities are the best available.

“Thank you to the Swap family, which is an incredible supporter of racing and the whole agricultural and rural community in Matamata. 

“Opie Bosson, there is only one, and to all our owners, thank you for your continued support of Te Akau.

“It’s great to be here today, and, finally, to Cameron and Lachlan from Entain, thank you for everything you’re doing for New Zealand racing and for attending the meeting today – and Captured By Love, she’s a wee beauty.”

Captured By Love was strapped by Ashlyn Lee.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz