Crown the Group 1 Queen Quintessa

From last to first, Quintessa (5 m Shamus Award – Chaquinta, by High Chaparral) took her earnings past $1 million with a huge victory in the $400,000 Group 1 Proisir Plate over 1400m on Saturday at Ellerslie.

In a race often won in brilliant fashion, none more so than Xcellent in 2005, Quintessa joined the fray, including Te Akau dual Horse of the Year Melody Belle that also did the job in scintillating style to win it twice.

Winner of her sole start as a two-year-old, Quintessa had a phenomenal three-year-old season, including the Group 2 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), highlighted by winning the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m), and marked by consistency with three fourths in Group One races, including the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m).

She also finished runner-up in both the Group 2 Alistair Clark Stakes (2040m) in Melbourne and the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m).

Last season, Quintessa recorded a terrific fresh-up victory in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) in Melbourne and co-trainer Mark Walker sounded a warning last week on the Giddy Up Podcast when telling Gareth Hall: 

“She’s got a great record fresh, won the Cockram last year with 60kg, and Opie (Bosson) may have chosen the wrong one.

“Not a lot went right for Quintessa last season, with wet tracks and what have you. She’s got a wide draw (15), but I think she’ll race really well fresh, whereas Qali Al Farrasha (stable-mate) needs more of a trip to be competitive, I think.”

It was also a fitting resumption to the new season for the Premiership winning stable and trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, to win the first Group One and take the Te Akau tally to 102. 

From the outside draw, jockey Rory Hutchings was happy to tail the field aboard Quintessa, who travelled easily, was 10 lengths astern at the 600m, and once drawn widest at the 300 metres she flashed home to win by one and a half lengths. 

“Most of my rides today I’ve ridden back and haven’t been able to run on down the outside, and I said to Sam (Bergerson) before the race, we’ll go back and I’ll ride for luck.

“It was really messy in the middle stages, but we kept her smooth, out of trouble, and came down the outside. She picked them up in two strides and that was electric. All she is going to do is get better and, gee, I love this place (Ellerslie).

“I was hoping the (Soft6) footing wasn’t sliding out of her range, but when I pressed the ‘button’ she picked them up straight away.”

On rain-affected footing that downgraded from Soft5 to Soft6, Quintessa ran 1400 metres in 1:26.0, last 600m in 34.5 (approx.), and paid $36.70 & $7.40 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“It was a brilliant first-up win and she’d won the Cockram (Stakes) at this time last year with 60-kilos, and she’s got an outstanding record fresh,” Walker said.

“I think people forgot about that and, obviously, Rory (Hutchings) rode a patient race and she’s just got that devastating turn of foot.

“We certainly did the right thing missing the Foxbridge Plate, but full credit to the team at the stables for having her present in such good order and the farriers who got her feet right. 

“And Ronan (Costello), our vet, has got her back right as well. She’s always been a high-class filly and mare, had the right record, but was just the forgotten horse in the field.”

On course, Bergerson said: “It was an incredible win and we left it up to Rory, who said “I’ll go back and ride for luck”.

“She was really flashing and we started screaming the last bit. She has come back in fantastic order from Australia, and I can’t thank the team enough at home. She takes a bit of managing, but Ronan, the vet, and farriers Gareth and Kim do an amazing job, and she’s a sound and happy horse.

“We were quietly confident coming into today, in a quality field, but great to see her back in winning form.

“She is pretty unassuming at home, probably one of the worst track workers in Matamata, but once the shades (blinkers) go on, she sees the crowd and gets a buzz going. 

“She is just so genuine and tries so hard, which is always going to take her a long way on race day.

“It was an A1 ride by Rory and great to have him over from Australia.”

Owned by the Te Akau Awarded Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Quintessa was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM as a yearling for $170,000 at the 2022 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Wentwood Grange, and now won six of 19 starts, plus $1.05m in prize money. 

“Quintessa was bred by Linda Huddy (Director Queensland Thoroughbred Owners Association) and her husband, Graham, who are two of the most successful breeders in the Southern Hemisphere,” Ellis said.

“We bought her as a yearling at the Karaka sales from the Hawkins family (Wentwood Grange), who do an amazing job of rearing these horses and they are phenomenal at preparing horses for the sales.

“It was a thrill to win the first Group One of the season, especially for the owners, and Mark, Sam, Reece, Mikey, and all the team.

“It was a huge run to win like she did and great to have Rory Hutchings aboard, who has proven himself against the best in Sydney.”

Incredibly, sire Shamus Award (Snitzel) won the 2013 Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) as a Maiden before franking the form in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and being named Champion Three-Year-Old of the Year.

A son of Champion Sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), Shamus Award has been very successful at stud, approaching 1000 wins by his progeny. 

Like Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), Shamus Award is also out of a mare by Success Express (Hold Your Peace), an American sire influence that adds plenty of class and quality. 

Dam sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Well), twice US Champion Male on Turf, has become a sire sensation worldwide, sire of sires, and as expected doing the same as a broodmare sire. 

The dam of Quintessa, Chaquinta, won five races, including three in succession to 2700 metres, and half-sister to good staying horse Our Heir Apparent (Zabeel).

It is also the family of Dunstan Feeds Championship Final (2400m) and Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) winner Dionysus (Ocean Park), once again franking the stamina. 

Quintessa was strapped by Rhiannon Smith.

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz