Burgundy Rose Blooms Again

Burgundy Rose  (4 m Burgundy - Paraiba, by Faltaat) upped her winning strike rate to 50% when taking out the $11,000 Rating 74 1100 metres on 20 November at New Plymouth.

Bred by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM, and owned by the Te Akau Roses Are Red Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), it was fitting that Burgundy Rose extended her record to four wins from eight starts, and three seconds, a day after Ellis purchased a Burgundy colt at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.

Trainer Jamie Richards had two by Burgundy (Redoute's Choice) in the race sponsored by La Nuova Drycleaning, with stable-mate Vino Bella (also by Burgundy), ridden by apprentice Joe Kamaruddin, dictating terms in front and Burgundy Rose camped to her outside.

The race set up for the pair to be hard to catch, and only Meila Rei (Echoes of Heaven) spoilt the party by separating them at the line. 

Danielle Johnson had Burgundy Rose lifting and fighting to hold victory, while Vino Bella never wavered in finishing third. In a driving finish, the distinctive tangerine and blue stars hood held sway at the line.

Burgundy Rose, a previous six-length Maiden winner, had won both her trials in preparation to resume and given time (26 days) following a stylish fresh-up victory in the Rating 74 1000 metres on 25 October at Trentham. 

“She'd been a little while between runs and we'd targeted the 1100-metre race with her, to make use of her ability to handle shorter trips,” Richards said. 

“It was a nice ride by Danielle, able to follow the speed and it worked out as we'd planned. She quickened well and did everything nicely. 

“She only just won, but she went up 2.5-kilos from her last run, and we feel she's got the potential to prove competitive up in grade. She has a lot of speed.

“Danielle is riding in a great vein of form and the team at the Main Stable have done a good job with Burgundy Rose. She's a Te Akau Stud home bred, is straightforward, and is a lovely mare to have around the place.”

Remaining in the same grade, she incurred a 2.5kgs weight penalty to 57kgs and carried it to good effect in 1:06.9 for the 1100 metres on Dead5 footing. As race favourite, Burgundy Rose provided a reasonable $2.10 & $1.70 return on the NZ TAB tote. 

“She's going really well and providing a lot of fun for the owners,” Ellis said. “It's not easy to win four out of eight and she certainly knows where the line is.

“I bought Burgundy as a yearling, a three-quarter brother to Darci Brahma, whom I'd bought six years earlier. He was the fastest horse we've ever trained and while he didn't win five Group 1 races like Darci, he did win five stakes' races and was a Group 1 quality horse - no doubt about that.

“We've bred and raced quite a few by him and yesterday at the Ready to Run Sale I bought a cracking Burgundy two-year-old colt who we are currently selling shares in.”

Burgundy Rose was strapped by Kate Belsham.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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