Al Hasa to Add to Te Akau's Carnival Haul

The Informant reports:

Having added a sixth New Zealand 2000 Guineas victory to their record with Embellish last Saturday, Te Akau Racing will now target another black-type Riccarton feature that has been very good for them in recent years - the $50,000 Barneswood Farm Welcome Stakes.

Five of the last 15 winners of the juvenile feature have come from the Te Akau juggernaut - Maroofity (2002), Xbert (2005), Encosta Diablo (2009), Bespoke (2010) and Sassy 'N' Smart (2015).

They were originally expected to be represented in this year's Welcome Stakes by the pre-post favourite, the unbeaten filly Avantage. But concerns over her fitness forced her withdrawal from the race when the field was confirmed on Wednesday, clearing the way for her stablemate Al Hasa.

The Exceed and Excel colt was a $625,000 Karaka yearling purchase by Te Akau principal David Ellis and is out of Oasis Rose, who finished second to Sacred Falls in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at this track five years ago.  Al Hasa raced greenly when second on debut at Ellerslie, but connections are hoping to get him back to the Auckland track in a couple of months' time for the Karaka Million.

“We entered him for the two-year-old race at Te Rapa last Saturday, but changed our minds and decided that this would be a nice chance to give him a run at stakes level,” co-trainer Jamie Richards said.

“With a stake of $50,000, it's an opportunity to get some money in the bin as we head towards the Karaka Million.  We've been very pleased with him since his debut run a few weeks ago. He galloped very well on Monday.”

Al Hasa will be ridden by the 2000 Guineas-winning jockey Opie Bosson and will jump from gate three.