"Elton" Makes Music on Debut

Promising three-year-old Don'tblamethemusic (3 g Coats Choice - Blame the Music, by Stravinsky) - who we know as Elton in the stable - got the job done on debut with a clinical display in the Maiden 1200 metres on 31 December at Stratford.

First out of the gates, Don'tblamethemusic travelled boldly outside the leader, Bellontherocks (St Reims), took over early in the home straight and quickening to a handy advantage when asked to extend by jockey Dylan Turner he kept up a strong gallop to win handsomely.

In the Douglas Dash By Central Tyres & Automotive, Don'tblamethemusic won by one and three-quarter lengths, in 1:12.4 for the 1200 metres, and installed race favourite he returned $2.70 & $1.30 on the tote.

Owned by the Te Akau Musical Syndicate, managed by David Ellis, Don'tblamethemusic was given time after displaying natural talent when trialling as a two-year-old and following two very good trials for second and first, respectively, made the perfect start to his racing career.

“It was a good win and he looks to have a really nice future,” Ellis said.

“He needed a bit of time, Coats Choice horses are not natural two-year-olds but they sure do develop into nice racehorses.  I sent Jamie (Richards) down to the South Island Sale to buy a couple of horses and he chose this horse. He's a really good judge of a young horse and he's made an outstanding start to his training career.

“Steve (Autridge) and Jamie told me three months ago that the horse was coming up very well and they expected him to win some nice races this season.”

Purchased as a yearling for $22,000 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Sale, from the Three Valleys draft, Don'tblamethemusic has a Northern Dancer cross on both sides of his pedigree, inbreeding to Nureyev on the dam side, and has a Zabeel (Sir Tristram) influence as sire of his grand-dam Noubeel.

Richards made mention of impressive eleven-time winner Natuzzi (Coats Choice) as a catalyst in his decision to buy Don'tblamethemusic.

“Natuzzi was going well and we liked the look of this bloke,” Richard said.

“He's been a work in progress, but we gave him a freshen-up since the trial and he's come back really good.  He hadn't trialled since the 9th of November, so there's a little bit of improvement in him and he's a good sort and I thought that Dylan rode him well.

“He (Turner) doesn't get many opportunities, but we like to put him on when we come down here and he did a really good job for us over the last year."

Turner said: “He still doing a few things wrong. He got on the wrong leg across the top and ran around a little bit up the straight, but once he learns to do things properly he's going to be a very, very smart horse”.

Don'tblamethemusic was strapped by Jasmine Fawcett.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz