4 Win Saturday - Valentine Veracious

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

Victory by protest but a win nonetheless, Valentine (3 g Turn Me Loose – Fastnet Rose, by Fastnet Rock) was successful when resuming in the $40,000 3YO 1200 metres on Saturday at Tauranga.

After racing outside Aquilifer in front, Valentine became the victim of buffeting in the straight and stipendiary stewards concluded that, for that happening, Valentine would have won instead of finishing second by neck.

Valentine had ended his previous campaign finishing third in the corresponding three-year-old event in November at Wanganui, boasts a good record, benefitted by weight relief to 54kg, and provided Te Akau apprentice Jess Allen (a3) with her second win on the programme following stable-mate Family Ties (Contributer).

“He’s a horse that’s always shown ability and finished runner-up to subsequent Group One winner Pignan (Staphanos) on debut as a two-year-old,” said racing manager Reece Trumper.

“There is the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes coming up, but we’d have to get him home and see how he progresses, and he’d probably need another run before then. It’s become a really competitive race, so we’ll just have to wait and see.”

In the race named Frocked Up Girls, the winning time was 1:12.3, last 600m in 34.6, and paid $7.40 & $3.20 on the NZ TAB tote.

Valentine was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $80,000 at the Karaka 2022 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Windsor Park Stud, and is owned by Jonny Schick, director of Shaw’s Wire Ropes and Shaw’s Property Holdings.

Windsor Park stallion Turn Me Loose, a son of proven international sire and sire of sires Iffraaj (Zafonic), won three Group One races: 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), Emirates Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m), and Futurity (Gr. 1, 1400m).

Te Akau has had tremendous success with progeny of Fastnet Rock (Danehill), none more so than nine time Group One winner Avantage, while also experiencing success with him as a broodmare sire.

Valentine stems from a family of tough 10 time winning sprinter Trekking (Street Cry), who recorded Group One victories in the Goodwood Handicap (Gr. 1, 1200m) and Stradbroke Handicap (Gr. 1, 1400m), also six time winner and strong Melbourne Cup runner Tralee Rose (Tavistock).

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “He’s a nice colt, really athletic, and is a good moving style of a horse with plenty of quality and class about him.

“We thought he was great buying at the price, had been impressed with how the early progeny of Turn Me Loose have performed. He was such a good racehorse.”

With four racing crops, Turn Me Loose has now sired horses to record over 130 wins, including nine stakes' wins and Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) winner Licketysplit.

Valentine carries a very strong and influential cross of super sire Danehill.

Valentine was strapped by Lauren Russo.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz