Ellerslie Treble - Win No.2 Millefiori

Te Akau Racing is unrivalled in the Karaka Million, and Millefiori (2 f Iffraaj - Miss Bluebell, by Savabeel) entered the fray with a terrific debut victory in the $10,000 Eagle Charters Maiden 2YO 1100 metres on Saturday at Ellerslie.

Te Akau has won the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) for the past four consecutive years: with reigning Horse of the Year Melody Belle (Commands), four-time Group 1 winner Avantage (Fastnet Rock), dual Group 1 winner, at Royal Randwick, Probabeel (Savabeel), and most recently in 2019 with Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel).

Trainer Jamie Richards has four of the first seven in Order of the Entry for the upcoming Karaka Million renewal, on 23 January at Ellerslie, with Millefiori slotting in beneath stable-mates Avonallo (Belardo), winner of the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m), Palamos (Extreme Choice), and above Sophisticardo (Burgundy), while runner-up to Millefiori, Sneaky Shark (Capitalist), also joined the list.

It was the tangerine duo of Millefiori and Sneaky Shark that dominated the race, with the pair settling down to battle in the straight. And while briefly headed, it was Millefiori that dug deepest and showed the guts required to prevail in a thrilling finish.

“She's been a filly that we've always liked and had a good preparation,” Richards said. “She'd had a trial, backed off her before having another trial and came up here to have a look around Ellerslie, before hopefully being back at the end of January for the Karaka Million. 

“It was a really positive ride by Matt (Cameron). She travelled sweetly and a gutsy effort to get the better of her stable-mate (Sneaky Shark).

“She's a filly that Dave (Ellis) selected out of the Karaka Book 2 Sale. By Iffraaj, out of a young Savabeel mare, and Winx is in the family, so we thought she was very good value at $65,000. 

“We've got some really good owners in her. Ben Masters from Boys Get Paid and his partner Tash and his mother, Dirk & Nicky Oberholster from Totara Park Stud, who bred the horse, and Roy and Jennie Peterson and their daughter from Wellington, who also had a share in Gold Fever with us. 

“The team at the Main Stable has done a great job with her and she shapes as a filly that's only going to continue improving with time. 

“She'll have a bit of a letup now, and be seen somewhere before the Karaka Million.” 

On a (Dead4) track that raced particularly well throughout the day, Millefiori ran the 1100 metres in 1:05.0, last 600m in a slick 33.3, and returned $8.80 & $2.40 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“Both horses went a super race, and probably the draw (2) favoured the filly,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM. “But, I thought it was a terrific effort from Sneaky Shark to come from the outside barrier. It's really a suicide position over sprint trips at Ellerslie. 

“He was a horse that was passed in at the sales and I bought him privately off Hallmark Stud.

“Matt (Cameron) has ridden a lot of winners for us in the tangerine, including the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas Group One double on Xtravagant and Risque.

"It was another great effort for a two-year-old to win first-up. Millefiori became our sixth individual two-year-old winner this season and as a trainer you've really got to know what you're doing. 

“It starts at the beginning - Enzo Di Leoni who with our Stud team, breaks in and educates our yearlings before they go to the stable - then in the stable, the further education of the juveniles by the team of track work riders we've got, is hard to beat. They're all taught from the word go to lead on the right leg, to jump out of the barriers, etc. And, it's a true credit to all the team that Jamie has working with him.”

At the presentation, and accepting on behalf of the owners, Roy Peterson said: “Our first horse with Te Akau, about four or five years ago, was Gold Fever and she won on debut. We thought that was great, and what a great way to start with this filly.

“You guys are just fantastic. The way you prepare the horses and the biggest thing for me is the communication to owners. You can't beat it and with my wife, Jennie, and daughter, Emma, we're having a great time. It's bloody marvellous and quite unbelievable.

“We were very impressed with her two trials. She showed a bit of guts and did it again at the races.”

Millefiori was strapped by Trevor Stewart.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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