Bordeaux Wins Again

Beautifully bred Bordeaux (4 g High Chaparral - Our Echezeaux, by Zabeel) extended his formidable record with a dominant win in The Hits 98.6FM Rating 75 2100 metres on January 20 at Te Rapa.

Away well before being steadied to second by jockey Matt Cameron, Bordeaux travelled best inside the 600m, led on straightening, and came clear to win by one and a half lengths.

“He came up the straight with his ears pricked,” said co-trainer Stephen Autridge. “I don't think he over exerted himself and with his ability he might be a handy horse next season.

“There's plenty left,” he said.

Bred by Sir Peter Vela, and the late Philip Vela, Bordeaux was purchased from the Pencarrow Stud draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale by David Ellis for $620,000 and now won three of his eight starts for the Te Akau 2013 Breeding Syndicate.

“I watched the race and thought it was another really nice win for a horse I think it going places,” said Ellis, from the sales grounds at Karaka.

“I made the comment at the start of the season that he could win group races and with another year on him he should be contesting races like the Avondale and Auckland cups. He could also be ideal for a race like the Brisbane Cup.

Ellis said: “This is one of the best broodmares you would ever see, with a pedigree to match, and every foal from this mare is stunning.

“It's great for the upcoming Karaka Sales because one of the best looking individuals in the sale is a half-brother by Frankel,” said Ellis.

At around 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday January 26 at Karaka, Lot 445 the bay colt by Frankel (Galileo) out of Our Echezeaux will enter the auction ring.

Ellis also reported on the progress of the nine yearlings he purchased earlier in the month at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale - now all settled in at Te Akau Stud.

“They're all doing very well and I'm very happy that we've never sold so many shares so quickly,” said Ellis. “Quite a few are fully sold already and I'd say that by the time the Karaka Sales start they will all be gone.

“I'm out working at the Karaka sales and I think the quality of the yearlings I've seen this year is an all-time high. There are some outstanding yearlings, just beautiful racehorses in the making and we're going to be there to buy them.

It was the 52^nd training success this season for premiership leading trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards.

“The job that Steve (Autridge) and Jamie (Richards) are doing in training these horses is blowing everybody away and their strike rate (4.8) is the sort of statistic we haven't seen for a long time,” said Ellis.

Bordeaux was strapped by Trudi Yelavich.