Big Splash by Splurge - Win 103

Being 'two stones lighter' (gelded) has obviously worked the oracle with Splurge (3 g Savabeel - Splashing Out) winning the Lowe & Co Realty Rating 65 1400 metres at Otaki on Thursday 23 June.

From barrier rise it was a one-horse affair in the Rating 65 event, dictating terms and then charging clear near the top of the straight to score by five and a half lengths.

"It was another really intelligent ride from Matthew Cameron, whose riding in the last twelve months has once again gone to another level, watching him swap the whip between both hands is the mark of a really good jockey - and you can see why he's won the Champion Jockey title for the last two seasons," said Te Akau principal David Ellis.

The gelding operation following his last start disappointment at Hastings has resulted in a change of attitude.

"We had a couple of questions around his attitude as colt and it was really pleasing to see him put his best foot forward now as a gelding',"said co-trainer Jamie Richards.

"He is another lovely horse that David has bought from Karaka, we will probably look to give him a spell now and prepare him for a late spring campaign," said Richards.

Owned by the 2014 Te Akau Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: David Ellis), Splurge was purchased by Ellis from the Waikato Stud draft for $500,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale. 

"Splurge was the twelfth winner for that syndicate this season alone - Rocksun (Fastnet Rock) is a winner of two races, Beacon Of Hope (Fastnet Rock) a winner of three and Xtravagant (Pentire) a winner of five and a dual Group 1 and Group 3 winner with his victories in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton and the NRM Sprint at Te Rapa and the recent Cambridge Breeders' Stakes also at Te Rapa,” said a proud Ellis.

It was the 103^rd win this season for the training partnership of Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, giving them a buffer of ten wins over their nearest rival with only five weeks of the season remaining.

With Te Akau's Singapore trainer Mark Walker having won the 2015 Trainers' Premiership in Singapore, winning the New Zealand premiership in the same season would be a totally remarkable achievement and David Ellis would be a very proud man.

Ellis mentioned the result was a fine reflection on 26-year-old co-trainer Richards, in his first full season as a trainer - he led the team extremely well over the past three weeks with training partner Stephen Autridge currently away on holiday in Europe.

"Jamie has done an unbelievable job looking after the whole team, including three winners in the past three days” said Ellis.

However results are not about one or two people, they are a reflection of all of our staff doing a fantastic job.  At this time of the year, working outdoors with the wind and rain is not easy and they all do it with smiles on their faces as they love the horses - and wins like this, I totally dedicate to them."

Splurge was strapped by Teina Walters.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

Back