Beau Geste So Brave

A three-quarter brother to multiple Group One winner Wall Street (Montjeu), Beau Geste (4 g Pour Moi - Villa Wanda, by Grand Lodge) broke through for a well deserved win in the $10,000 Maiden High-weight 2000 metres on 21 February at New Plymouth.

While Wall Street also took time
to reach his peak, winning the first of four Group Ones as a five-year-old and
becoming Champion Middle Distance Horse in NZ (2010-11), likewise Beau Geste had
been patiently handled by trainer Jamie Richards before indicating with a
second and third last month that a win was imminent.

Able to lead under Dylan Turner,
everything went according to plan until pressure arrived at the 800m in the shape
of two challengers, but Beau Geste had their measure at the 400m and went on to
score comfortably.

Winning by two and a half lengths,
Beau Geste ran the 2000 metres carrying 68kgs in 2:07.9 and a hot commodity in
betting he returned $1.90 & $1.10 on the NZ TAB tote. The race was
sponsored by Peninsula Beachfront Resort Moollolaba.

The win provided Richards his 81^st
this season, including three of the last six runners, and levelled him on top
of the premiership.

“He's taken a fair while to
mature, but he's getting there now and it was a good win,” said Richards, of
Beau Geste, an improver through his first four start campaign with two fourths
and a second.

“He raced quite well through his
first campaign last season at Wairoa, and we decided to give him a good break.
He had a few little immaturity issues, but seems to be getting over those now
and he looked well placed in this race.

“It was a good ride from Dylan
Turner, who has a good strike rate for us in the tangerine. The horse quickened
up well and it was a good way to get his maiden win. We bought him to be a
staying horse and while taking a fair while to mature hopefully he can go on.
It seems like he's on the right track now.”

After winning a day earlier with
Red Jakkal (Jakkalberry) and celebrating the heady heights of group one racing
with Melody Belle (Commands) winning five this season, Beau Geste continued the
good fortune for Fortuna Syndications (Mgr: John Galvin).

Te Akau principal David Ellis
purchased all three, with Beau Geste picked up for $32,500 from the draft of
Valachi Downs at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.
Interestingly, Melody Belle at $57,500 (now the winner of $1.62 million) and
Red Jakkal for $75,000 were also reasonably priced horses.

“I knew Wall Street well and
bought this horse from Valachi,” Ellis said. “It's terrific to see him win
because he wasn't far away in his first campaign and just needed a bit of
physical maturity in order to win.

“John (Galvin) and his Fortuna
team are absolutely on fire. Melody Belle, the great mare, is enjoying a spell
here at Te Akau Stud. She's in a paddock with Te Akau Shark and Sword of Osman
and the three of them are really good mates. They all get on well and they're
eating everything.

“It's quite incredible that Jamie
has had 81 wins and we're still in March. It's an unbelievable achievement by
him and all the staff and I'm extremely proud of the hard work they're all
putting in.”

By the Montjeu stallion and 2011
Epsom Derby winner Pour Moi, Beau Geste is inbred to the immortal sire Northern
Dancer.

Beau Geste was strapped by Alexis White.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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