Byzantine Grows "Angel Wings"

The second Matamata winner was particularly poignant ...

A valuable win came the way of two-year-old colt Byzantine (2 c Savabeel - Baradevi, by Volksraad) on 28 March at Matamata.

Having made a positive start to his career when fighting hard for second in the Maiden 2YO 1000 metres on 10 March at Trentham, trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards earmarked the $10,000 Paul Jones 2YO Maiden 1200 metres as his next start providing he did well in the interim.

“He's a lovely colt that Dave (Ellis) bought as part of his stallion syndicate,” Richards said. “He wasn't overly expensive and after experiencing some growing pains and shin soreness through the summer he's coming to it now and next year he might be a 2000 Guineas sort of colt.

“The race day experience and trip away certainly helped him.”

By Champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel) from a classy family bred by Jim Barlow, Byzantine was purchased by Ellis for $200,000, from the draft of Little Avondale Stud, at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, and owned by the Te Akau 2017 Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

On the back of winning aboard stable-mate Qian Gua (Cape Blanco), Bosson had Byzantine away well and vying for the lead from barrier one. He was able to steady affairs in front to the 600m and after being taken on in the straight he kicked away over the concluding stages to win dominantly.

Byzantine ran the 1200 metres in 1:12.2, last 600m in 35.4, on a track playing fair to the Dead4 rating, and paid $4.00 & $1.20 fixed and $3.50 & $1.60 tote on the NZ TAB.

“He got an easy sectional across the top and when I asked him to quicken up he really quickened underneath me,” Bosson said.

Richards said it was fitting to have won the race in light of Gloria Autridge having passed away last Saturday.

“We've got the armbands on for Gloria Autridge. It's been a tough week for the stable, Steve and Lynley (Autridge), her husband Bob (Autridge) and son Toby (Autridge), so to win has been great and we might have been getting a little help from above. Opie (Bosson) and Steve are very close, so it's quite fitting.”

Bosson said: “It means a lot to win this race in memory of Gloria. She was a big part in my life when I was growing up and I'm really proud.”

Accepting on behalf of the owners, Nita Herbst said: “Thank you very much to the sponsor on behalf of Te Akau, Dave (Ellis), Karyn (Fenton-Ellis), the trainers and the owners, it's a great day”.

“We'll give this horse a spell now and get him ready for some really nice races in the spring,” Ellis said. “It's great if you can spell horses at this time of year. There is so much goodness in the grass and horses just do so well when spelling in warm weather. We can have him back in training early May and get him ready for the spring.

“Jamie (Richards) said it would be the makings of the horse by taking him away on a trip (Trentham), so that's what we did and it was the 999^th career win for Steve (Autridge).

“It was lovely to see him win the race that we chose to wear the black armbands in memory of his mother, who we've all known for what seems like a lifetime.

“It was the 61^st win this season for Steve and Jamie, over $3.2 million in prize money, and interestingly in the last 14 months there's been five one-million dollar races in New Zealand and we've won three of them and finished a close second in the other two.”

Regarding the inclusion of Byzantine in the 2017 Breeding Syndicate, Ellis said: “I don't put horses in into my colts' syndicates on price, but I put them in on type and pedigree. I particularly liked him as a yearling and we thought he may be kept as a colt. I could see him developing into a stallion if he had what it takes as a racehorse, in the ability stakes, and we wanted to win a two-year-old race with him because it makes his pedigree look even better.

“So, now we will be getting him ready for a Group One race, similar to what we did with Hall of Fame and Embellish, two other Group One winning Savabeel colts.

“He was bred by Jim Barlow, a really top breeder and Byzantine is from his famous family. It's a classy family and proved before that it can leave a two-year-old to train on.”

His grand-dam, Sharvasti (Montjeu), won the Avondale Cup (Gr. 1, 2200m) and finished second in two other group ones. Third dam, Vedodara (Kreisler) won the Hawkes Bay Guineas (Listed, 1400m) and finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m).

Byzantine was strapped by Teina Walters.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz