Byzantine Brilliant

Presented in terrific order, Byzantine  (3 g Savabeel - Baradevi, by Volksraad) produced a dominant second-up victory in the $10,000 Haunui Farm Rating 65 1200 metres on 23 May at Pukekohe.

Back at the hop to settle ninth on a competitive tempo, rider Opie Bosson had him away from the rail and travelling sweetly while still six lengths astern at the 600m. Angling clear at the top of the straight, he knuckled down to his work when asked to extend at the 300m and charged past the leaders to win easing down by one and a half lengths.

“You've got to get him into a rhythm and get him breathing,” Bosson said. “When I got him into the clear he had a good finish on him. He can handle the ground with a bit of toe in it, but he's got a lot of tricks so it's just about working everything out with him in the barrier. But, he's getting there.”

Owned by the Te Akau 2017 Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), after being purchased by David Ellis for $200,000 from the draft of Little Avondale Stud at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, Byzantine had made a positive start to his career when fighting hard for second in a Maiden 2YO 1000 metres last season at Trentham, before scoring a two-year-old win at Matamata, and he finished close fifth in the Waikato Equine Vets 2YO Stakes (Listed, 1200m) in May at Te Rapa.

Byzantine had trialled well prior to resuming off a lengthy spell with a solid performance in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 4 May at Te Rapa, and showed the benefit of his first-up run.

“I thought it was a bloody good win from that horse today,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “He's always shown plenty of talent. He's had his fair share of little issues, not majors, just things that have been enough to hold him up.

“He's was gelded and things didn't go to plan and he didn't come up in the spring, but when he's right he's a pretty good galloper and I want to say a big thank you to the owners who have been so very patient with him. 

“He really deserved the win and I thought Opie gave him a lovely ride. He didn't panic when he missed the kick a little bit, because he can be naughty in the barriers, and he closed the race out really well. Like a horse that can work his way to a higher grade.

“We'll have a look around and assess the options for him in the next couple of weeks, but the team at home, track work riders, have done a great job getting him to the races in good order and there should be more wins in store for him.”

On footing just into the slow range (Slow7), Byzantine ran the 1200 metres in a respectable 1:12.2 and paid $7.00 & $2.30 on the NZ TAB tote. 

Immediately following the win, Te Akau racing manager Libby Richards said: “He's a shorter course horse that's always shown a lot of promise and good to see him put it altogether today. It was a lovely ride by Opie. We think he handles these sorts of tracks nicely, so we'll try and find another suitable track next start, and it's lovely for the owners that he's putting it together.”

By Champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel), and bred by Jim Barlow, Byzantine is from a terrific family. His grand-dam, Sharvasti (Montjeu), won the Avondale Cup (Gr. 1, 2200m) and finished second in two other Group Ones. While third dam Vedodara (Kreisler) won the Hawkes Bay Guineas (Listed, 1400m) and finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m).

“It's a classy family and proved before that it can leave a two-year-old to train on,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis.

“Byzantine is showing that he likes tracks with a little bit of give in them and it's ideal getting a transitional period in the autumn with tracks in the dead and slow range rather than going straight to heavy after we've been racing on good tracks.

“Jamie had been saying for a couple of months that he'd been working like a horse that could be winning races at short notice and it's nice to see his comments were bang-on, as they usually are, and great for the owners who have been patient with him. 

“Jim (Barlow) is an excellent breeder. He's bred some really top horses and he's got one of his own in the stable with us, so it's great we can win a race with a horse he bred and offered for sale. 

“And, he's another fine example of a Savabeel and the success that Te Akau has had with that sire.”

Byzantine was strapped by Raj Rasheed.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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