A Matamata Winning Treble

A terrific day today for the Te Akau team - winning three of the eight races staged at our home track ... here's the first ...

The money kept flowing for Handsome Rebel (2 g Denman - London Rebel, by Fastnet Rock), and rightly so, as the twice stakes' placed $1.70 favourite raced clear by four lengths to win the Maiden 2YO 1200 metres on 14 March at Matamata.

Having recorded four thirds from as many starts, including last time out behind subsequent Group One winning stable-mate Sword of Osman (Savabeel) in the Matamata Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m) and the Phoenix Park Classic (Gr. 3, 1200m), the win came easily in the end.

Sent forward from a wide gate to race outside the leader, Handsome Rebel took control at the 250m and streaked away for rider Opie Bosson.

“He jumped well and wanted to over race a bit early, but came back under me about the half mile and he did it easily,” Bosson said.

At the annual meeting for the South Waikato Racing Club, in a race sponsored by Retox Sports Bar & Tokoroa Cosmopolitan Club, Handsome Rebel ran the 1200 metres in 1:11.7, last 600m in 35.8, on footing rated Dead6.

“He's a promising horse,” said co-trainer Jamie Richards. “He's been getting back and been a bit field shy around other horses.

“We decided that we would bypass the Group One (Sistema Stakes), but decided to come here, try and ride him positively and take some of that bad luck out of the equation.  This strategy was supported by Fortuna's John Galvin and it's worked really well.”

Owned by the Fortuna Handsome Rebel Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), he was purchased for $65,000 by David Ellis, from the draft of Element Hill, at the 2017 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“Fortuna is an incredibly important part of the Te Akau team, both here (NZ) and with Mark (Walker) in Singapore,” said David Ellis.

“I bought three yearlings for John Galvin this year, including two really lovely fillies with good pedigrees. We're really looking forward to getting them into the stable.”

By Group One winning stallion Denman (Lonhro), Handsome Rebel is the first foal from Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare London Rebel, from a family sporting quite a few stakes' performers.

John Galvin said: “It's a great syndicate, a lovely horse and didn't cost us a lot of money. We like to buy them to budget and it's really paid off with this guy.

“David Ellis selected him for us at the Gold Coast Sale, and I remember David bought five horses at that sale, brought them all home and he called me a couple of days after they arrived and said: “John, I've just been out in the paddock giving these horses their breakfast and your horse has really got the goods”.

“We have many stalwarts in the syndicate, some that have had winners with Fortuna before in Singapore, but this is their first winner in New Zealand. And also first time winners Brad Johnson & Dianne Grigg.

“I always went betting with my late father and my dream was to own a winning racehorse and now I've achieved it,” said Johnson, who drove from Palmerston North. “You wouldn't have heard anyone cheering louder in the stands.

“Fun is foremost for us and the financial side is a bonus. The horse has loads of ability and he put it all together today,” he said.

Galvin also thanked Matamata track manager Graeme Styles for presenting a lovely track, following quite a bit of rain. “It's one of the better tracks in the country, for sure,” he said.

The race also saw an encouraging debut from stable-mate Spirit of Galway (Rip Van Winkle), who was denied room in the straight when it appeared she could claim second and ended up fourth for rider Michael McNab.

“She's a lovely horse that Dave (Ellis) bought at the Ready to Run Sale and she's come a long way in a short time,” Richards said. “She looks a really nice filly for next season.”

Handsome Rebel was strapped by Nik Bakar.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz