5 Wins in 24 Hrs - High Roller Hangs Tough

Narrowly beaten on debut, High Roller (4 g Ace High – Miss Thorn, by Thorn Park) overcame adversity to win the $25,000 EDR Contracting Maiden 1600 metres on 5 December at Riccarton.

As a three-year-old, High Roller closed strongly near the rail for third, beaten a nose and a nose, when debuting in the Maiden 1300 metres on 30 November at Ellerslie, in a performance that showed his ability, but since then it had taken time for everything to fall into place.

Having remained back in the Maiden 1400 metres on 1 November at Tauranga, trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson elected to send him to the Te Akau stables at Riccarton, managed by Assistant Trainer Hunter Durrant, and a 34-day gap between races worked the oracle.

Ridden by Bruno Queiroz, who obliged in the previous race aboard stable-mate Hello Bess (Hello Youmzain), and who has now won 12 races for the stable, High Roller travelled easily in sixth, was full of running when pocketed near the 200m, but lengthened stride significantly once clear to snatch victory.

It was a good performance by High Roller, who would have been a travesty beaten, especially when having his first start on the poly-track.

Paying $3.70 & $1.50 on the NZ TAB tote, High Roller scored by half a neck and ran 1600 metres in 1:39.0.

“It was really good to see him win and I’m pleased for the owners that he’s rewarded their patience,” Walker said. “He would have been desperately unlucky if he hadn’t won.

“He’s been a bit frustrating, mainly through immaturity, and often doing things wrong in his races, but it was great to see him salute today.

“Hopefully the win gives him confidence to go on in the next grade. He’s been a big raw-boned type of horse and I think he’ll be even better with another six months on him, as well.”

Owned by the Te Akau Fastplay Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), High Roller was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $90,000 at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Riverrock Farm.

From a family that Te Akau knows very well and experienced plenty of success with, High Roller is by Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) winning sire Ace High (High Chaparral). He is out of Miss Thorn, whom Ellis bought as a yearling at Karaka - she went on to win five races to 1400 metres and was placed in the Group. Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and to date, she has left four individual winners of 10 races.

Miss Thorn is a half-sister to Corsage (Volksraad), also purchased by Ellis. Corsage was joint second top filly on the 2008-09 New Zealand 2YO Free Handicaps and in turn became a very good producer, including Group Two winner Aotea Lad (Savabeel) – another bought by Ellis. 

It is a prolific winning family, going back to sensational third dam Seamist (Beaufort Sea) who recorded Group One success in the 1992 Auckland Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie, while also registering a Group Two win, two Group Three victories, and six Listed wins. Her progeny includes New Zealand Cup winner Torlesse (Volksraad), along with the winners of more than thirty races.

High Roller was strapped by Molly Coutts.

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz