Al Haram - Season Win No.1 & No.101

Date: 25 Jul 2020

Al Haram - Season Win No.1 & No.101









Second-up from a spell, Al Haram  (7 g Sea the Stars - En Public, by Rainbow Quest) provided Te Akau apprentice Joe Kamaruddin with his first win on Saturday at Avondale.





Winning two of four starts earlier in the season, Al Haram spelled after contesting the Metropolitan Trophy Handicap (Listed, 2500m) during Cup Week at Riccarton. He found the line solidly for third when resuming in the Rating 81 High-weight 1550 metres on 4 July at Awapuni, and appreciated stepping up in the $15,000 Mount Shop Rating 83 2100 metres.





A winner previously in France, purchased for $42,500 through an Inglis online sale and owned by the Te Akau Star Struck Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis), Al Haram had the talent to prove competitive and appeared to pay over the odds: $10.80 & $3.40 on the NZ TAB tote. 





“He's a horse that I bought online and Karyn syndicated,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM. “He's by Sea the Stars, who was a world champion racehorse and doing a sensational job at stud in Europe, and has a great group of owners. Some of them have shares in a lot of horses with Te Akau. 





“Al Haram showed promise from the outset when he started here last year. He's won three times now in New Zealand, and he's got the right attributes to win more.





“I was thrilled for Joe (Kamaruddin) to get his first win on a Te Akau horse. He's a really good kid, always happy, and I think he's got a good future. Like so many apprentices, and I've given plenty of them their first win, they just need to get that winning feeling before they can go on with it.”





Handicapped with the highest weight (63-kilos) in the race, it was good decision by trainer Jamie Richards to engage Kamaruddin and reduce the burden to 59kgs.





“Jamie has been giving Joe a few opportunities lately and it was good to be rewarded,” Ellis said. “Taking weight off horses' backs is crucial at this time of year and it often makes the difference between winning and losing.





“Jamie leads the premiership and to have won 101 races this season is an incredible performance when you consider the time we had off in lockdown due to Covid-19. And, it took awhile for things to pick up again after we turned all the horses out. It's been a terrific effort by Jamie and all the staff at the farm and the stables.”





Jamie Richards said: “I'm stoked for Joe (Kamaruddin) to get his first winner. He's such a happy little bloke to have around the stables and always keeps us laughing and entertained. 





“He's hard-working, always great with his times in his track work gallops and a very important part of the team at the Middle Barn. 





“Al Haram was our first winner for the season when he scored in August at Matamata, and with the season drawing to a close he will also be one of the last. He's done a really good job winning three this season and a horse that has continued to improve and mature.”










Al Haram was strapped by Trevor Stewart.










Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz


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