A Season of Success continues ...

We continue to look back on an outstanding season of Group/Listed success, with Embellish becoming Te Akau's sixth Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas' winner in November at Riccarton - the stable now having won 10 Group 1 Guineas' titles (incl. 1000 Guineas) in the past 14 years.

The 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) is a special race, first contested in 1809 and by mid-1860s was regarded as the most prestigious race for three-year-olds in Britain.

Little has changed, and the New Zealand equivalent is also highly sought after. In November at Riccarton, Embellish (3 c Savabeel - Bling, by O'Reilly) became the sixth winner of the iconic race for Te Akau.

Previously, Xtravagant (Pentire) ran a staggering 1:33.59, last 600m in 33.04, to establish a new race record and win by eight and a half lengths in 2015, Rock ‘n' Pop (Fastnet Rock) gave jockey Jamie Bullard an armchair ride to win in 2011, Tell A Tale (Tale of the Cat) flew home to win the $1m version in 2008, Darci Brahma (Danehill) won by four lengths in 2005, and King's Chapel (King of Kings) scored easily by a couple of lengths in 2003, while the most recent rendition lacked for nothing in Te Akau dominance as the tangerine colours flooded the finish. Subsequent Group One winner Age of Fire (Fastnet Rock) finished second, and Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle) missed third by a nose.

Te Akau principal David Ellis was elated, especially given he had purchased and syndicated all three.

Owned by the Te Akau 2016 Breeding Syndicate, the brother to Group One winner Diademe, who sold when retired for $740,000 and then sold on for $1.7m, Embellish was bought by David Ellis for $775,000 (record price for a son of Savabeel, at the time), from the draft of Waikato Stud, at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

Second on slow ground in one start as a two-year-old, Embellish beat a hot field fresh-up at three, over 1200 metres in October at Ruakaka, and was tightened into $12.00 & $4.00 (NZ TAB fixed odds) for the 2000 Guineas.

Ridden by Opie Bosson, aboard throughout his three-year-old campaign, Embellish then took to the road on his way south to Riccarton, stopping off to win a Rating 65 1400 metres at Trentham, and a fortnight later won the $500,000 Al Basti Equiworld NZ 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m).

He did everything perfectly, quickening off the trail to lead at the 200m and had the situation sewn up in what was a very professional display. Winning by one and a quarter lengths, in a time of 1:34.8 for the mile, he returned $3.70 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote.

An outstanding specimen, Embellish had won the race that Ellis envisaged when buying him and trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards had executed the plan perfectly.

Patience is a virtue in horse racing. Bart Cummings said: “Patience is the cheapest thing in racing, but most people don't use it”. And so it was with the story behind Embellish.

“It all started 30 or 35 years ago when Garry (Chittick) bought his third dam Star of the Knight, by Sir Tristram, for $250,000, in foal to Danzatore, which was a big, big deal for us,” said Waikato Stud boss Mark Chittick.  “I remember when I was about 15 years old having to cut the foal out of her bit by bit because it was a dog-sitter (foal positioned similar to how a dog would sit).

“The next foal, we donated to Massey University because it was such a spastic. So, when you take all that into consideration..., and more recently, his dam Bling is unfortunately no longer with us.”

“David (Ellis) is a supreme judge,” Chittick said. “At the end of the day, his whole life is about judging livestock, whether it be cattle or horses, and whatever livestock he's involved with he wants the best and he wants the best results.

“Honestly, it's an extraordinary game. You've got great people like David at Te Akau, and us trying to breed the best racehorses we possibly can, when it all comes together like that it just can't get any better.

“And New Zealand should be very proud of ourselves, because we breed great racehorses and we've got terrific horsemanship. It's unbelievable,” he said.

Given a break at Te Akau Stud, following his 2000 Guineas win, and second en route in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic at Ellerslie, Embellish was set to target the $1m Australian Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 3 March at Flemington, and to cut a long story short..., he settled seventh on the inner, travelled sweetly, was blocked when looking to clear a pocket at the 400m, losing all momentum, before rallying inside the 200m and being strong through the line.

Following the race, it was widely thought, that able to get a crack at them, when appearing to have plenty in reserve, he surely would have threatened in the finish.

As a stallion prospect, Embellish has displayed the required athletic prowess, already won a Group One race, and certainly has the bloodlines.

By champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel) - on target to claim his fourth consecutive New Zealand Sires' Premiership - out of a mare by champion sire and broodmare sire O'Reilly (Last Tycoon) who has become quite phenomenal in the secondary role: his daughters having already left over 50 stakes winners.

As mentioned, his dam Bling, a sister to the dam of dual Group One sprint winner Sacred Star (Flying Spur), and the family of gifted filly Starcent (Centaine), has already left Diademe: the Group One winning sister in blood to Embellish.

Embellish has a terrific Sir Tristram cross in his pedigree. As the grand sire of Savabeel, through Zabeel, and the second dam sire of Bling, in Star Of The Knight.

Embellish was extremely popular in the lead-up to the yearling sales: “More so than any other horse we had,” Chittick said. Was fortunately purchased by David Ellis, to stay in New Zealand, and has the promise to make an impact for many years to come.

In January, new owners of Cambridge Stud, Brendan and Jo Lindsay, purchased a 50 percent interest in Embellish, who is currently gearing up for his four-year-old season.

Embellish was this month named as a finalist - together with stablemate and fellow Group 1 winner Age of Fire - for Champion 3YO of the Year honours.