Bordeaux the Brave

Making it four wins from his last six starts, Bordeaux (4 g High Chaparral - Our Echezeaux, by Zabeel) again displayed grim determination in the $22,500 Rating 75 2100 metres on Saturday February 6 at Te Rapa.

Bordeaux was handicapped an additional two kilos to carry 59kgs, after his recent course/distance success in the same grade for the Te Akau 2013 Breeding Syndicate but it was not enough to prevent a repeat performance at luxurious odds of $8.20 & $2.50 on the tote.

A half-brother to the colt by Frankel (Galileo) out of Our Echezeaux that topped the recent Karaka yearling sales for $1.3 million, Bordeaux was purchased by David Ellis for $620,000 from the Pencarrow Stud draft at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale and continues to make a name for himself in the emerging staying ranks.

“It's taken a while for the penny to drop, but he's a progressive type of staying horse that next year could end up in some nice races,” said Jamie Richards, who trains the horse in partnership with Stephen Autridge.

“She is a very good producer Our Echezeaux, a mare of Sir Peter's (Vela), and this horse is only going to keep improving.

“He's not a horse that has been natural at everything he does and it's taken a while for everything to come together but today he was there to be run down and when they came alongside him he fought hard.  Hopefully the form out of the race is good but he's a horse that has some bigger tasks in front of him,” said Richards.

After sliding across into second, Bordeaux travelled comfortably throughout for rider Michael McNab, picked up nicely when the tempo increased at the 600m and staved off late closers to prevail in a tight finish.

Bordeaux ran the 2100 metres in a very respectable time of 2.08.2, last 600m in 34.6, and one of the most pleased by his effort was his buyer David Ellis.

“It's a truly wonderful feeling to be part of horse that tried so hard,” said Ellis. “They went up to take him on in the straight but he wouldn't let them past and this is a horse that Steve and Jamie have done a fantastic job with.

“This time last year he (Bordeaux) was battling away at the trials and now he looks the type that could win a Group race, probably next season,” said Ellis.

“He can run in races like the Counties, Avondale, and Auckland Cups and he's got a lot more improvement in him yet.

“He's bred by one the best breeders this country has ever seen and it was a big thrill for him to win on Darci Brahma Waikato Guineas day, with my wife, Karyn, as the chairman of the club, and it's a club that is very dear to Te Akau's heart.

Still the leading buyer for an unprecedented eleven years at Karaka, Ellis has been thrilled with the way shares have sold in the recent purchases.

“We've never ever had so much interest,” he said.

“We spent $6.5 million in total - $5 million at Karaka and $1.5 million on the Gold Coast - and we've never had our office staff so busy putting all the paperwork together.

“We've sold ninety-five percent of the horses already, so if people want to be involved in this great and exciting industry that we're a part of they'd want to ring me in the next few days.

“I've got a few shares left in some very nice horses, including the full sister to Royal Stakes' winner Sofia Rosa and that could be a great investment if she was to win the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic next Saturday. Which would mean someone could get the share for effectively nothing, her value would increase that much,” said Ellis.

Bordeaux was strapped by Trudi Yelavich.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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