A Smart Selection Strategy

Around this time each year, when three-year-olds are asked to step up in distance, people start asking themselves, and others, will they stay?

There have been well performed three-year-olds to a mile that tire near home over 2000m/2100m, respective distances of the upcoming Group Two Waikato Guineas and Avondale Guineas and winners of those races who have no punch after rounding the turn in the Derby (2400m).

One such contender for what shapes as an enthralling time ahead is Hall of Fame (3 c Savabeel - Around the Clock, by Galileo), a relaxed colt that assured himself a stallion career when winning the $225,000 Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Saturday 14 January at Trentham.

Purchased by David Ellis for $230,000 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm, Hall of Fame is owned by the Te Akau 24/7 Syndicate (Mgr: D C Ellis).

Trained by Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, the five-length Zacinto Stakes winner blotted his copybook in the 2000 Guineas but has well and truly rectified the situation with a Group One win.

He boasts a record of five wins and two seconds from nine starts, $232,200 in prize money, and currently second favourite ($9.00) for the $1m Vodafone New Zealand Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) on March 4 at Ellerslie, behind VRC Derby (Gr.1, 2500m) runner-up Sacred Elixir (Pour Moi) at $5.00.

He boasts the right form and record to warrant such support, but will he stay?

His first test is the $100,000 Darci Brahma Waikato Guineas (Gr. 2, 2000m) on February 4 at Te Rapa.

“I think that what he wants to do (step up in distance), it's just he hasn't been given the chance yet,” said Autridge, after track work on Tuesday 24 January.

“He did a little bit of three-quarter pace, because he's doing that well, with Michael (McNab) riding,” Autridge said.

“He's one of those horses that always do well and he just cops it (racing). He can cop it; he's a horse that doesn't have any problems. You feed him, he'll eat it and then you've got to work him. He's a really good eater.

“I think 2000 metres next time: jump and take a nice sit, and you know he's got a turn of foot so you don't have to panic.

“He's by Savabeel out of a Galileo mare, so he should stay. Savabeel should have won a Derby. His dam won over 1900m, and further down there is plenty of staying blood.

“He's got a bit of length, but he's not tall, I think he's 15.2hh, but he gets his head down and looks a bit like a stayer and I've got no worries with him staying.”

In a plan for his upcoming work, Autridge said: “He'll do a bit of quiet work again on Thursday (Jan. 26) because we're that happy with him, but his serious work will be a week today.

Adding substance to his potential staying qualities, his fifth dam, 1975 Australian Broodmare of the Year Miss Valeica, by Valognes (GB), left West Australian Derby winner and 1975 Caulfield Cup runner-up Leica Lover (Latin Lover), and Leica Show (Showdown), winner of the 1974 VRC Oaks and VRC Wakeful Stakes. Both were trained by Bart Cummings.

While closer up, and on both sides, in the pedigree of Hall of Fame is the legendary staying influence of Sir Tristram, by the Derby winner Sir Ivor whom jockey Lester Piggott wrote was the best horse he ever rode.

His second dam, Night And Day (Catbird), is a three-quarter sister to dual Group One winning stallion Nothin' Leica Dane (Danehill) who as a three-year-old won the Victoria Derby before finishing second in the Melbourne Cup.