Cool Aza Rene - Te Akau's 20th 2YO Win

Recording her fourth win this season, Cool Aza Rene (2 f Cool Aza Beel – Irene, by Xtravagant) justified favouritism in the $35,000 Bain McCall Memorial 2YO 1000 metres on Saturday at Riccarton.

Resuming with victory in the 2YO 820 metres on 1 June at Wingatui, Cool Aza Rene was clearly highest rated (69) having previously won three of her four starts, had weight relief to 54kg, and warranted strong support. 

Ridden by Te Akau apprentice Hayley Hassman (a3), Cool Aza Rene began well to race outside her main rival (El Vaquero), on pace, gained advantage a furlong out and sustained a strong gallop under hands and heels riding. 

On Heavy10 footing, Cool Aza Rene ran 1000 metres in 1:01.4 and paid $1.50 & $1.30 on the NZ TAB tote.

“It was a really good win, today, especially on quite testing ground and a positive ride by Hayley (Hassman),” said Mark Walker, training partner with Sam Bergerson, after the premiership leaders recorded their 20th two-year-old win this season. 

“She’s put together a really good record, winning four of her five starts, and she deserves a short break now.

“We’ll have her back in work, with a view to contesting a lead-up race over 1000 metres before the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes over 1200m in September.

“Our assistant trainer Hunter (Durrant) and the team at Riccarton have presented the filly in great order, continuing on the work from the Matamata stable. She was prepped up North in the early stages of the season, and she’s done well following a freshen-up to win both starts in the South Island.”

The win by Cool Aza Rene arrived on the back of sire Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel) leaving his first Group One winner when Cool Archie (2 c Cool Aza Beel – Aware, by Tale of the Cat) won the $1 million J J Atkins on 14 June at Eagle Farm (Brisbane).

From the first crop two-year-olds by Cool Aza Beel, Cool Aza Rene sits second with four wins, behind Cool Archie, whose five wins have included victories in the $1 million Group Two BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Group Two Spirit Of Boom Stakes (1200m), Listed Dalrello Stakes (1000m), and now the Group One JJ Atkins (1600m). 

A filly with a great Te Akau pedigree, Cool Aza Rene was purchased cheaply by David Ellis CNZM for $55,000 at the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Newhaven Park, is owned by the Te Akau One Cool Beel Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), and has now earned over $100,000 in her first season racing. 

Everything surrounding the successes and pedigrees is a feather in the cap for Ellis, with both the sire, Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel), and dam-sire Xtravagant (Pentire), purchased as yearlings by him before going on to win Group One races and each stand at Newhaven Park Stud (NSW). 

Cool Aza Rene recorded the first win for the former Champion Two-Year-Old Cool Aza Beel, who won the Karaka Million 2YO and Group One Sistema Stakes, while dam-sire Xtravagant produced a race record 1:33.5 when winning the Group One NZ 2000 Guineas by 8.5 lengths, and followed up with an 8-length win in the Group One NRM Sprint at Te Rapa. 

“It’s satisfying to see Cool Aza Rene racing so well and for Cool Aza Beel to have just had his first Group One winner,” Ellis said.

“I bought Cool Aza Beel as a yearling for $150,000 at Karaka, from Fairdale Stud, having been to inspect the yearlings at their farm. They had three in the sale and I finished up buying all three. 

“Clearly Cool Aza Beel was the best of them, but another was Brando (Savabeel) who won two Group Two races and a Listed race, and was a Group One performer, among his nine wins, and they all won races.

“We were thrilled that a great breeder like John Kelly at Newhaven Park Stud bought Cool Aza Beel to stand at stud, and they had a very good opinion of his progeny right from the time they were foals.

“We’ve got some other promising horses in the stable by Cool Aza Beel, that are still to race, and we’ve bred to him each year.”

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. 

While Te Akau Racing look set to claim its 16th Champion Trainer title, currently on 126 wins for the season and a healthy buffer, Ellis was also keen to point out the importance of the South Island stable at Riccarton, and its contribution.

“Our South Island stable is the leading stable in the south again this season, according to Canterbury Jockey Club's CEO Tim Mills and the CJC's racebook, and our assistant trainer Hunter Durrant and the team have done a fantastic job.

“They all get on well, Hunter is a young man with a great head on his shoulders and he’s certainly got a big future in the industry. He works brilliantly with Mark and Sam and delivers great insights for our owners with horses based in the south.

“Also, Hayley (Hassman) our apprentice did another nice job on the filly and she’s an exciting young jockey and we’re thrilled to have her in the stable. Her three-kilo claim, or seven pounds in the old days, is invaluable at this time of year and she’s making the most of it.”

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 strapped by Molly Coutts. 

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz