Challa's A Little Champ

Stakes' placed Challa (3 g Dissident - Are There Any, by Exceed and Excel) made a welcome return to racing with a dominant victory in the $10,000 Denis Wheeler Earthmoving Maiden 3YO 1100 metres on 1 November at New Plymouth.

Extremely unlucky in his first campaign, beaten narrowly at each of his first three starts including second in the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) to subsequent Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) winner Miss Federer (Swiss Ace), Challa managed the lead comfortably, with jockey Michael McNab steadying the pace, and came clear when he let the brakes go at the 300m. 

On Dead4 footing, Challa won by three and a quarter lengths and ran the 1100 metres in 1:05.3.

Expected to win, given his form, highest rating, and $1.80 & $1.30 tote support, Challa took his earnings to $30,000 when breaking through at his sixth start for the Te Akau Challa Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“After the form he had as a two-year-old, where he was unlucky not to win, we decided to give him a good long break after the Karaka Million and not rush him,” said trainer Jamie Richards.

“He's come back in good order. We've taken him along quietly and it was a strong win after trialling well for second. We have been waiting for the tracks to improve and had the race picked out for a little while, so it was a good result.

“It was a clever ride by Michael (McNab) and staff at home did a good job to present him in such good order fresh-up. I'm really pleased for all the owners and he should continue to improve with that. And, a bit of relief too because it's the first winner we've had for my Uncle Greg and Auntie Amy and a group of friends that they got involved in the horse. 

“Their syndicate took ten percent in five young horses. They're having fun and now got a win on the board. Mum's (Leanne) brother Greg McDonnell, her sister Paulette Duncan and husband Chip are among those in the syndicate.”

Purchased by David Ellis for $100,000, from the draft of Trelawney Stud, at the NZB 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale, Challa is the first foal of Are There Any, a mare that won six races from 1300m to 2050m in Melbourne, while his grand-dam, Honest Politician (Distorted Humor), was also a very tough racehorse that won eight times (1600m - 2000m) in Australia.

Challa is from the first crop of Australian Horse of the Year and Champion Sprinter, five-time Group One winner, Dissident (Sebring). Trained by Peter Moody, Dissident was known for his exceptionally tough qualities when winning from 1000 metres to 1600 metres. The mating also has a lovely cross of the greatest sire of stakes winners in the world, Danehill (Danzig).

“He's beautifully balanced and his dam sire Exceed and Excel has been a fantastic speed influence in Australia,” Ellis said. 

“I'm thrilled for the owners because it was frustrating seeing him beaten so narrowly on a few occasions as a two-year-old. We gave him a lengthy spell, their patience has been rewarded, and he's won in a manner that suggests there's plenty more to come. He's got natural speed, but there is also toughness in his family which I really like and quite a few of them won over more distance.”

Challa was strapped by Tom Harrison.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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