Cool Az, Cool Does

Presented in sparkling condition, Cool Aza Rene (2 f Cool Aza Beel – Irene, by Xtravagant) produced a very good debut victory in the $40,000 Cavallo Farm Chris Rutten Bloodstock 2YO 800 metres on Saturday at Otaki.

Only the third two-year-old presented so far this season by trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, following Snitzel colt To Bravery Born, who won the first juvenile race in August at Wanganui, and third placed Dare To Proisir at Tauranga, Cool Aza Rene had won a trial without being extended on 19 September at Rotorua, and started race favourite.

Ridden by Craig Grylls, Cool Aza Rene went in search of the lead but settled to race outside the leader. She travelled well, cornered sweetly, and took control approaching the 200m before drawing out to win handsomely.

A beautifully put together filly, with an action to match, it was a first-class commencement to what appears an exciting future career.

Under overcast skies, on Good4 footing, Cool Aza Rene ran 800 metres in 45.9, winning by one and a quarter lengths, and paid $2.30 & $1.40 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“It was a really good win today and it’s always exciting to see the progeny of one of our former stable stars (Cool Aza Beel) winning for the first time,” Walker said.

“Dave (Ellis) bought the filly from a great nursery, Newhaven Park Stud, where Cool Aza Beel stands. They’re incredible breeders that have been excited by the progeny of the sire and they’ve been breeding Group One winners for decades. 

“They are certainly one of the best stud farms in Australia, and it’s exciting for the Kelly family to have the first winner on the board by Cool Aza Beel. 

“She’s a very professional and well educated filly and I really like the patience she showed. She was required to stand in the barriers for a long time and it just showed how well she’d been broken-in and handled by the team at Te Akau Stud, plus all of our good track riders that we’ve got established at Matamata.”

Walker said that Cool Aza Rene would continue heading south to the Te Akau stables at Riccarton, where she would prepare to race during Cup Week in the $65,000 2YO 1000 metres on Wednesday 13 November. 

“We’re great believers in the benefits of travelling young horses, because it seems to be the making of them long-term, and she was certainly another good value purchase by Dave (Ellis) from the Magic Millions Book 2,” Walker added.

Cool Aza Rene was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for A$55,000 in January this year at the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Newhaven Park, and is owned by Te Akau One Cool Beel Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). 

“It is fantastic news for us to have bought and trained the first winner by Cool Aza Beel, and a big thrill with her being out of a mare by Xtravagant, who we bought at Karaka. He of course went on to win the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas and he stands alongside Cool Aza Beel at Newhaven Park Stud,” Ellis said.

“Cool Aza Rene is bred by one of the best studs in the world; the Kelly family who has a 15,000-acre property in South West N.S.W, it's just magnificent and is beautifully farmed, and they’ve bred some great horses there.

“All three of the first crop two-year-olds by Cool Aza Beel that we’ve got in the stable are showing potential, and I was very impressed by how well this filly raced on debut.

“It was big thrill because we bought Cool Aza Beel at Karaka, from the Fell family of Fairdale Stud, and after winning the first two-year-old race at Wanganui, he went on to win the Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) and the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), and he was Champion Two-Year-Old. 

“To see him go on to stand in Australia, then be able to buy his first winning progeny really is a great result.

“She had to do a bit, too, because they kicked up on her inside and I thought it was a really good run to win.”

A direct descendant of Champion 2YO Filly in Australia, Hasna (Snippets), Cool Aza Rene is the first foal out of a mare by dual Group One winner Xtravagant (Pentire).

Grand-dam Hades is by Champion Sire and Champion Broodmare Sire Encosta de Lago (Fairy King) and produced four individual winners of 17 races, including Group Three placed, dual winner Mintha (Redoute’s Choice).

Third dam Hasna (Snippets) won two legs of the Triple Crown: Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) and Champagne Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m), among seven victories from 1000m to 1600m. 

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “She is a really well structured filly with plenty of substance and we saw a lot of both Cool Aza Beel and Xtravagant in her makeup. 

“Cool Aza Beel was a readymade two-year-old that became Champion Two-Year-Old and it’s very exciting to purchase one of his first progeny for sale.”

Cool Aza Rene carries a cross of unparalleled New Zealand sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram) on the sire line of Cool Aza Beel and dam line of dam sire Xtravagant.  

Cool Aza Rene was the third runner by Cool Aza Beel, following two in Australia. 

Cool Aza Rene was strapped by Kendyll Lee. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz