Enhance Scores on Debut

Spring has sprung for Karyn Fenton-Ellis, for not only did she breed and own Enhance (3 f Saperavi - Pinstinct, by Pins), winner of the Fairview's Tribute to Sir Lunchalot over 1200 metres on Sept. 11 at Te Rapa, but by the end of September she will be the Chairman of the Waikato Racing Club.

On a day dedicated to the deeds of retiring Chairman Dave Smith, Fenton-Ellis had her filly become the third of the three-year-old debutante winners for Te Akau on the eight race programme.

“It's the last meeting I'm presiding over as Chairman,” said Smith. “Karyn stands unopposed for the position and she has my one thousandth percent support and we all have no doubt she will be very good in the role."

“She's my baby; I love this girl and I'm so excited,” she Fenton-Ellis while giving ‘Snooki' a pat on return to the enclosure.

Beautifully handled by talented apprentice rider Michael Dee, Enhance settled fifth on the inner before working off the rail at the 700 metres and once produced in the straight she quickened to the lead, changed stride and flattened out to charge home for an easy one-and-a-quarter length win.

“It's terrific to win one for the team,” said Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman, who moved to second on the Trainer Premiership, with nine wins, after saddling five winners from fourteen runners in the past three days.

“She [Enhance] has got a really good turn of foot and has shown it right from the outset,” said Bridgman. “It was a pretty exciting win, she has good raw ability, and ridden quietly she found the line nicely.

Commencing his second season of riding, jockey Michael Dee is already drawing high praise from some knowledgeable judges. The 17-year-old son of former trainer Richard Dee, Michael rode 17 winners last season and having had great support from owners and trainers in the Central Districts, where he will still continue to have a strong involvement; his riding seems to have blossomed since a recent shift to the busy training centre at Matamata.  

“Michael (Dee) is on loan to us for three months, from Kevin Myers. He's a really promising young rider and we're thrilled he's got his first winner for us,” said Bridgman.

Michael Dee said: “I got a nice position in behind them and coming into the straight she showed a real turn of foot and did it quite easily in the end. It's good to get a win in these tangerine colours - really nice.

Born in Christchurch and brought up in Timaru, Karyn Fenton-Ellis was a student at Craighead Diocesan School and received the Media Award at the 2012 Horse of the Year Awards following twenty years as a presenter for Trackside Television. Along with being the PR and Sponsorship Manager for a major New Zealand financial services company, she is a winner of the World Speaking Competition and now as the wife of David Ellis is an integral part of the Te Akau team.

The dam of Enhance, Pinstinct, from the Oregon mare Oregon Express, was a winner when trained by Mark Walker.

“Pinstinct was raced by the late Kim Lee and he gave her to me when she retired from racing,” said Fenton-Ellis. “I raced her earlier foal The Looker, with my daughter Lydia, who Jason (Bridgman) trained to win and Pinstinct is in foal to Minstrel Court and is going to Burgundy once she foals."

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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