5 Win Saturday - Quintessa Melbourne Grp 3 Crown

After four New Zealand Saturday wins, all eyes turned to our last season's Group 1 Levin Classic winner - Quintessa.

After a top class 3YO season, that has seen her nominated as a finalist for Champion 3YO of the Year, she returned to Te Akau's Cranbourne base last last month, with unfinished business on her mind.  Twice fourth in both the Group 1 Australian Oaks in Sydney and Group 1 Australian Guineas in Melbourne, Quintessa was hugely unlucky when beaten into second by a lip in the Group 2 Alister Clarke Stakes at Moonee Valley after losing a plate in the running and being galloped on.

We know she is a talent, and she reinforced this again when securing her first Group victory in Australia on Saturday - made even more special with former Te Akau apprentice Daniel Stackhouse in the pilot's seat - and carrying a significant weight impost of 60kgs!

Group One winner and Champion Three-Year-Old finalist Quintessa (4 m Shamus Award – Chaquinta, by High Chaparral) resumed with a terrific victory in the A$200,000 Group 3 Tobin Brothers Cockram Stakes over 1200m for Four-Year-Old Mares & Upwards on Saturday at Caulfield (Melbourne). 

The only runner on the programme for Te Akau trainer Mark Walker, who with Sam Bergerson recorded four wins on the same day in New Zealand, Quintessa emulated former star stable-mate Probabeel (Savabeel) who won the Cockram Stakes in 2021. Probabeel went on to be twice named NZ Horse of the Year and ended up winning four Group One races in Australia during her glittering career.

Winner of her sole start as a two-year-old, Quintessa had a phenomenal three-year-old season, highlighted by winning the Group 1 Levin Classic over 1600m, and marked her consistency with three fourths in Group One races, including the Group 1 Australian Guineas, Group 1 Australian Oaks and Group 1 BCD Sprint (Te Rapa). 

She also finished runner-up in both the Group 2 Alistair Clark Stakes and Group 2 Auckland Guineas.

Although remaining back when unable to quicken on Heavy10 footing in a trial on 10 August at Te Rapa, Quintessa had previously shown the ability to act fresh, has no shortage of grit and class and in scoring, made it three wins from four starts over 1200 metres.

Ridden by former Te Akau apprentice Daniel Stackhouse, making a name for himself among the top echelon of jockeys in Melbourne, with over 1000 wins to his credit in Australia, Quintessa was submerged in midfield before angling clear five wide into the straight and despite carrying the heftiest impost she again exuded her fortitude to win.

“She had to stand in the gates a bit too long and got a little worked up, but she stepped lovely,” Stackhouse said.

“I followed Wrote To Arataki, who gave us a nice cart into it. I was little bit rough on the corner, making sure I got the room to improve into the race and then she did the rest. 

“She gives a great feeling. I gave her a little trot and canter on Thursday, to have a feel of her.

“Obviously she’s a class horse in New Zealand, a Group One winner at a mile, and the team is just changing things up a little bit keeping her to the shorter trips. They’ve done a great job.”

On Good3 footing, Quintessa ran 1200 metres in 1:11.5 and returned $10.80 & $3.20 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“It was a great return to racing this season by Quintessa, a really thrilling win, especially carrying the top weight of 60-kilos. It was really good to have Daniel Stackhouse ride another winner for us in a big race,” said Walker, as Stackhouse also obliged aboard stable-mate Midnight Blue (So You Think) in May at Caulfield. 

“I remember first seeing Daniel ride in his home town at Ashburton, when he was apprenticed down south. I had a good chat to him and we bought up north to Te Akau, and recognised his talent from very early on.

“He’s a good athlete, strong, hard working and it's great to see him win again in the tangerine today.

“Quintessa galloped a few Friday’s ago, up the back straight on the course proper at Matamata, and Opie (Bosson) was adamant that she was coming back really well. 

“The trial didn’t flatter her at Te Rapa, but we just knew that once the blinkers go back on she’s a different horse. 

“Also congratulations to her breeder, Linda Huddy (Director Queensland Thoroughbred Owners' Association), who retained a share in her, and we’ve always got a lot of confidence buying horses off the Hawkins' family (Wentwood Grange) at the Karaka sales. They do a great job and present them in top order, year in and year out.”

On course, Te Akau Australia assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said: 

“She went home and spelled at Te Akau Stud, so she was prepped over there. Mark (Walker), Sam (Bergerson), Nicole (Shailer), and the whole team that oversaw her prep, and she had one trial and one jump out, they’d been really happy with her.

“She really pleased Mark in a gallop before she came over, and looking back, hindsight is a great thing in racing, she is bred to stay. But this preparation, Mark has thought if we keep her a bit fresh and keep her to the shorter trips she could be a sprinter/miler filly. 

“There is a lovely programme for these fillies and mares, so she’ll go two weeks to the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes 1400m at Flemington, and aim to run Melbourne Cup week in the Group 1 Empire Rose 1600m, which could be the perfect race for her.” 

Te Akau was previously rewarded with victory in the A$1 million Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes on Derby Day at Flemington, when Melody Belle brilliantly won in 2019, recording her 10th of 14 Group One victories, setting a national record by the dual NZ Horse of the Year.

“Her form was on the board, but everyone overlooked it, and Mark was confident she’d run a big race. We’d been happy in the couple of weeks she’d been over here, so we were buoyed,” Gleeson added. 

Owned by Te Akau Awarded Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Quintessa was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM as a yearling for $170,000 at the 2022 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Wentwood Grange, and has won nearly NZ$800,000 in stakes money.

Quintessa has recorded five wins and three seconds, from 11 starts. 

“To win five races at three different venues is the biggest thrill you can have on any race day and we’ll be celebrating accordingly,” said Ellis, who purchased four of the five winners as yearlings.

“Mark (Walker) has assembled an outstanding team at our stable in Cranbourne, headed by Ben Gleeson, and Emma Wilson who strapped her also rides her in work.

“Hunter (Durrant) and our southern team at Riccarton won three races on the programme, all ridden by Wiremu Pinn, and the two-year-olds we’ve won that first race at Wanganui with they’ve all trained on really well. So it was a big thrill to win it again this year with Snitzel colt To Bravery Born.

“Mark, Sam and Nicole have done a great job in sending Quintessa over to Australia in such good order, and ready to win first-up. That’s the result of a massive team effort, including Deane and those who looked after her when she spelled here at Te Akau Stud.

“I’m thrilled for Daniel Stackhouse, too. He came to work for us an apprentice and it’s just such a thrill to see these young guys go on and achieve such success through sheer hard work and determination, and he’s one of the best riders in Melbourne.”

Quintessa was strapped by Emma Wilson.