A Daring Australian Winning Debut

Having his first start in Australia, Truth Or Dare (3 g Vanbrugh – Thetruthisoutthere, by Starcraft) won the A$37,500 Race For Rule Maiden 1600 metres on 19 September at Cranbourne (Victoria).

Following four wins by Te Akau Racing the day beforehand at Cambridge, Truth Or Dare had resumed with a notable performance out of midfield for third in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 24 August at Te Rapa, since finished second in a jump out on 9 September at Cranbourne, and drew handily in barrier four. 

Truth Or Dare was ridden by former Te Akau stable apprentice Michael Dee, who also rode stable-mate Bellatrix Star to record a brilliant second-up victory in the A$175,000 Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes last Saturday at Flemington. Settling just beyond midfield, the gelding wound up to level four wide turning for home, and kept stretching out to claim the leader and score easily in the finish by one length. 

“It’s always good to get a ride in these (tangerine) colours, let alone win,” Dee said.

“So winning today is a bonus and with this horse he’s certainly got plenty more in store, because he’s still quite green and he definitely wants 2000 metres and beyond.

“He seems a horse that just wants to be left alone early, naturally wants to relax, and then show that good turn of foot that he had today. It was definitely the right race for him.”

On course, Te Akau Australia assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said: “Mick (Dee) let him settle and travel, and he a lap full of horse when he went for him on the corner. I think he was confident he had the horse in the right position building into the race.

“He’s got a lovely big action on him and we got to see it in full use today, so he’s going to appreciate getting out to more distance, on bigger tracks, and hopefully he can reach a nice race later in the spring.

“He’s a beautiful horse that Dave (Ellis) bought from the Ready To Run Sale in November last year, and he struck us as a horse with a big action and is a promising staying type. 

“He’s been really tractable in his work, has a great attitude, travelled beautifully, and does everything right. So he’s got all the right characteristics to hopefully be a stayer.”

On Good4 footing, Truth Or Dare covered 1600 metres in 1:38.5 and held firm in betting to pay $4.80 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote. 

Having won three of his four trials, and starting once as a two-year-old, Truth Or Dare broke through to win at his third start for owners in the Te Akau Red Heat Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“It was a really good win,” said trainer Mark Walker. “He’s out of a Starcraft mare and we think he’ll be an ideal horse for the three-year-old staying races in Melbourne. 

“It was great to see him strong at the end of a mile and he’ll only get better as we get him up over more distance. 

“I think he’s a pretty exciting staying prospect, Michael (Dee) gave him a lovely ride, and he’s certainly started on the right note by winning first-up in Australia.”

Truth Or Dare was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $120,000 at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, from the draft of Riversley Park. 

By Group One producer Vanburgh (Encosta de Lago), one of seven stallions on the roster at Windsor Park Stud, Truth Or Dare is by the same sire as Group Two winning stable-mate Wild Night, who won five races in a row as a three-year-old, and in preparation to resume racing he trialled well for third on the same day at Rotorua.

His dam Thetruthisoutthere is by New Zealand bred stallion Starcraft (Soviet Star), a world-class galloper and five-time Group One winner that claimed titles of Champion 3YO in Australia, Champion Sprinter in New Zealand, and Champion Miler in Europe.

At the time of purchase, Starcraft had left 17 stakes' winners in the role of broodmare sire, three of which were Group One, including Te Akau trained Skew Wiff (Savabeel), while also being the dam sire of Te Akau Champion Two-Year-Old Tokyo Tycoon (Satono Aladdin), previous stakes' winner Star Of Bombay (Atlante), and triple Group placed I Choose You (I Am Invincible). 

His grand-dam Absolute Faith, a dual winner to 1400 metres that placed at Group One, Two, and Three, level to 2000 metres, is by outstanding Australian sire Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice).

When Ellis bought Truth Or Dare, he said: “He’s a classy type of horse with a great action.

“Similar in many ways to Wild Night, who we also bought at Karaka, he’s out of a Starcraft mare and we’ve had plenty of success with him as a broodmare sire.”

Incidentally, Starcraft is also the sire of stallion Star Witness, mentioned above as the sire of Bellatrix Star. 

Truth Or Dare was strapped by Rachel Armes. 

Picture credit - www.nzb.co.nz