Dressed for Success

A copybook ride by Opie Bosson ensured the Coolmore Stud colours were carried to victory by Folk Dress (2 f Pierro - Gypsy Chimes, by Snow Ridge) at the South Waikato Racing Club meeting on 13 March at Matamata.

In training for Coolmore
Australia, Folk Dress won her first trial well enough for trainer Jamie
Richards to pursue the Woburn Farm 2YO Classic (Gr. 3, 1200m) on debut.
Fighting hard for fourth, she then ran the fastest last 600m (33.6) getting
home for second in the Maiden 2YO 1200 metres on 28 February at Pukekohe.

In the $10,000 Matley Financial
Services Maiden 2YO 1200 metres, Bosson secured a lovely spot in third with
cover, had Folk Dress ranging at will around the home, took over at the 200m
and looked good in her action getting clear to win by one and three-quarter
lengths.

“It was a lovely ride, as you
come to expect from him,” Richards said. “That's why he's the best in the
business and he gave her every chance. She quickened up nicely and she's going
the right way.

“We won this race last year with
Handsome Rebel and he came out and ran fourth [to stable-mate Avantage] in the
Sires', so we'll just wait and see what Opie says. There's no rush with her and
its lovely to have a good filly in training for Coolmore, and they'll let us
pick and choose where we want to go.

“She was a victim of
circumstances at Taranaki, when caught in a speed dual and overdid things a
bit. I think had she been ridden off the speed that day she might have
quickened in, but she certainly improved at Pukekohe, and won nicely today so
she's a filly going the right way.”

On footing rated Dead4, Folk
Dress ran the 1200 metres in 1:12.2, last 600m in 36.4, and hotly supported in
betting she paid $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She's always been a top quality filly
and her trial was really good,” Bosson said. “Her first two starts were spot
on, so she was close to winning today.

“We wanted to teach her
something, get her breathing properly and finished off nicely. She had a bit of
a loaf the last bit, still learning and onwards and upwards.”

Coolmore New Zealand
Representative Gordon Calder said: “Thank you to the South Waikato Racing Club,
it's good to see all the people here from Tokoroa, and they always add a buzz
to this meeting.

“Coolmore and Te Akau have a long
relationship. They've bought some nice horses off us and just a shame In A
Twinkling didn't get up and win the Derby recently. Coolmore has always had a
horse in training with Te Akau. Paulownia and before her Love Triangle, two
fillies with ability, and this filly looks in the same mould.”

 Coolmore stallion Pierro (Lonhro), Champion
First & Second Season Sire, has already left an Australian Derby and VRC
Oaks winner. The quintessential racehorse, he only ever ran in stakes races,
winning 11 of his 14 starts. The unbeaten Triple Crown winner as a two-year-old
amassed $4.5 million and already had yearling progeny reach $1.5m in the sales
ring.

The filly carries a Mr.
Prospector cross, through Straight Strike on the dam side of Lonhro, and the
dam side of dam sire Snow Ridge (Tabasco Cat).

“It's always a huge thrill to
train a winner for Tom Magnier and Coolmore, and we were thrilled when they
chose Te Akau to train this lovely Pierro filly,” said Te Akau principal David
Ellis. “It shows they recognize the stable is doing a good job and winning
races for them certainly gives us a charge.

“She'd shown promise from day one
when we broke her in at Te Akau Stud. It's great for her to have registered a
win at just her third start and now gives us a few options on what she does for
the remainder of her two-year-old season.”

Following consecutive Group Ones
(Yourdeel & Melody Belle) for the stable on Auckland Cup Day at Ellerslie,
Ellis was pleased to see the roll continue while also providing the eighth
two-year-old winner for the season.

“I'm not sure any trainer has won
back-to-back Group One wins in the history of New Zealand racing,” he said.
“Certainly not in the fifty years that I've been following the sport. The
closest I can remember was Eric Ropiha when Silver Liner won the Railway
Handicap and I think Harp ran second in the Auckland Cup.

“It was a great achievement by
Jamie (Richards) and for the week that's followed we've been selling lots of
shares in yearlings, and it's great to get another individual two-year-old
winner.

“It's a busy week because we've
got horses racing on Friday at Te Aroha, runners on Saturday in Sydney, and of
course two really good chances on Saturday in the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham.

“Obviously Jamie is doing a
fantastic job, but everyone from the top to the bottom is pulling their weight
and making it a vintage season for Te Akau.

“Also, Mark Walker is doing a
great job leading the premiership in Singapore. His stable is going really well
too, so both stables are having fantastic seasons.”

Folk Dress was strapped by Joe Kamaruddin.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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