A Te Akau Taupo Quinella

A debut winner in May, Meteoric Lass (4 m Stratum - Benatar, by Distant Music) made it two from two with a fresh-up victory in the $10,000 Higgins Taupo Rating 65 1200 metres on 10 October at Taupo.

Meteoric Lass and stable-mate Motivation (Mastercraftsman), who finished second, emulated stable runners Puysegur (Fastnet Rock) and Challa (Dissident), after their first and second, respectively, in the two-year-old race a day earlier at Riccarton.

Similarly to her win over 1200 metres at Waipukurau, Shafiq had Meteoric Lass travelling sweetly in second before slipping clear to a handy advantage at the 400m, as the leader ran wide, and she required little more than a hand ride to hold the closer, Motivation (Bosson), over the concluding stages.

“She jumped well and travelled very strongly and the last 300m when I asked her to go she just took off,” Shafiq said.

On footing rated Good2, that had a good sole of grass and drew ‘happy' comments from riders throughout the day, Meteoric Lass ran the 1200 metres in 1:09.7, last 600m in 34.8, and paid $3.30 & $1.60 on NZ TAB tote.

The fifth individual winner from Benatar, and sister to dual stakes' winner Meteoroid (Northern Meteor), scoring eight times over 1200m/1400m in Australia, Meteoric Lass was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $50,000 at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Kitchwin Hills, owned by the Fortuna No. 60 Meteoric Lass Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).

“She has been a bit slow to mature, but at the end of day she is a hell of a nice horse and as always David (Ellis) has done a good job in selecting a nice horse for us, within our budget range,” Galvin said.

“We were a little nervous about the track, but she had worked very well over the past week and Jamie (Richards) kept saying that she is getting stronger, and stronger, all the time.”

It was win number 23 this season for Richards, including five stakes' victories, at a strike rate of 3.3, and gives him a seven win buffer early on in the 2018-19 trainers premiership.

“You can't do better than win races and Jamie is certainly flying,” Galvin said. “Fortuna has had five runners so far this season with Te Akau, winning four and a second, and Suppy (Shafiq) in his time here (since March) has ridden seven horses for Fortuna, with six wins and a second. So we're making a great team: selector, syndicator, trainer, and jockey.

“It's always good to win a race at Taupo. Darci's Dream won here for us on her way to winning the Canterbury Belle Stakes, and another nice horse, Prince Henry (Henrythenavigator).”

In other quite phenomenal stats, owners in Meteoric Lass and great supporters of Te Akau, Mick & Wendy Willock celebrated their sixth winner in a row: two with Meteoric Lass, two with Swing Note (Encosta De Lago), Grand Ariana (Snitzel), and Queen of The Air (I Am Invincible).

Stable representative Teina Walters said, post race: “We've had quite a good opinion of her and Shafiq gave her a pearl of a ride. We're very happy for the owners and quite a few have popped out to see her, so we're thrilled.

“She had trialled well, now starting to work things out and I think she'll make into a pretty handy mare.

“It was also a great run by Motivation. The last 200m was obviously very promising and he's a progressive type that can hopefully go on with it, as well. He can only improve from here, as he steps up in distance, and it was a great ride from off the pace by Opie.

“John (Galvin) and Fortuna has been a long time supporter of Te Akau. It's good to see their colours get over the line and win and we are very happy for the team.”

Meteoric Lass was strapped by Teina Walters.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz