4 Wins 30 Hours - Stakes' Victory Conquered

In just over 24 hours, Te Akau owners celebrated four wins - two in Australia and two in New Zealand. The first celebration came with Return To Conquer, this exciting colt announcing his arrival by winning a stakes' race on debut!

Going according to plan, Return To Conquer (2 c Snitzel – Vaujany, by Lonhro) commenced his career with a stylish victory in the Listed $110,000 Counties Challenge Stakes over 1100m on Saturday at Pukekohe.

Having looked good winning all three of his trials, most recently when stretching out with a very good action to win impressively in trial on 29 October at Waipa, Return To Conquer was bet as a short priced ($1.20) favourite to win.

Ridden by Wiremu Pinn, the combination began well from barrier one to lead and once balanced up for the run home Return To Conquer continued to draw clear.

“He’s an absolute machine, a freak of a horse,” Pinn said. “I’ve ridden some pretty good horses in my time, but he’s right up there. 

“He gives you an unbelievable feel and to be honest he hasn’t even really tried today.

“Mark (Walker) had a plan to chase them, because that’s what he’s been taught to do at the trials, but I thought: I’m on the best horse in the race, here, so I’ll take bad luck out of the equation and lead.

“He’s still got plenty to learn, but he’s a super horse.”

Scoring by two and a half lengths, running 1100 metres in 1:05.1, last 600m in 33.8, on Soft5 footing, Return To Conquer was understandably starry eyed in front of a sizeable crowd, but to his credit he remained quite composed and focussed on the assignment.

“He did it quite nicely in the end, which was pleasing,” said Mark Walker, who trains with Sam Bergerson. 

“He’ll have a little break now, ten days out, and will probably get ready to trial again on 14 January at Matamata.”

Walker said plans would be made as to whether Return To Conquer continues to race in New Zealand, or heads to the Te Akau stables at Cranbourne (Victoria).

Owned by the Te Akau 2024 Stallion Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Return To Conquer was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for A$1.3 million at the Magic Millions' Gold Coast Yearling Sale, in January this year, from the draft of Blue Gum Farm.

By the four-time Champion Sire in Australia, Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), who serves so well the trilogy of Danehill – Redoute’s Choice – Snitzel, dam sire Lonhro (Octagonal) was Champion Three-Year-Old, Champion Miler, Horse of the Year, and simply an outstanding Australian racehorse that won 11 Group One's. 

Vaujany, the dam of Return To Conquer, although unraced is a three-quarter sister to six time Australian sprint winner Andermatt (Snitzel), who stakes' placed on three occasion. His grand-dam Portillo, by sensationally fast juvenile Red Ransom (Roberto), won the Group 2 Surround Stakes 1400m and finished runner-up in the Group 1 Flight Stakes 1600m as a three-year-old filly, while winning three times to 1400 metres, and has left five individual winners of 12 races.

“We thought he was the best Snitzel colt in the sale when we bought him and could not fault him in any way,” Ellis said. “There was some very spirited bidding, but we were able to secure him.

“Auckland Thoroughbred Racing has put on a really good track and it’s a pleasure to bring a classy colt like this here for his first start.

“To prepare a colt to come out at his first start and win like that just tells you what a great training job that Mark and Sam are doing.

“It's now 35 years ago that Mark Walker started at Te Akau Stud and we’ve been great mates for a long time. 

“It was also a thrill for Wiremu Pinn. Te Akau’s philosophy has always been to reward those who ride the horses in work with race day rides. 

“Wiremu has been working hard and it’s showing in how well he’s riding, and it’s a thrill to see him win a stakes' race for us on such a nice colt.”

Return To Conquer has a Danzig (Northern Dancer) cross on the sire line of Snitzel and dam line of Vaujany. 

Return To Conquer was strapped by Reece Trumper. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz