Equinox - Easy Winner

As expected ($1.60 & $1.30), Equinox  (3 c Exceed and Excel - Our Ella Belle, by Encosta De Lago) got the job done despite testing track conditions in the $25,000 Lowe Schollum Jones 3YO 1215 metres on Saturday at Rotorua. 

Presented in great order, Equinox, twice a two-year-old winner, had been given time (49 days) since finishing second to Catalyst (Darci Brahma) in the El Roca - Sir Colin Meads Trophy (Listed, 1200m) at Hastings, but wet weather prolonged his return.

“It was a lovely ride from Opie (Bosson),” said Te Akau racing manager Libby Richards. “He's a very professional horse and we weren't sure if he would handle the track today, but he did it easily.

“We've had a pretty frustrating time with the weather and didn't think he'd handle it at Matamata (last Saturday), so we scratched him, and he really needed to run today if he was any chance of getting to the Sarten.”

Purchased by David Ellis from the draft of Pencarrow Stud, at the 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale, and owned by the Te Akau 2018 Colt Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), plans now include the $100,000 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) next Monday (Labour Day, Oct. 28) at Te Rapa, and the $500,000 Al Basti Equiworld 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 9 November at Riccarton.

On footing rated Slow9 for the first race of the day, but downgraded afterwards to Heavy10, Equinox went forward to sit outside the leader and closed off in 36.9 for his last 600m.

“He travelled beautifully throughout,” Bosson said. “He was probably travelling too well on the turn and pulled himself to the front and just too good in the end.”

“He's always shown quite a lot of ability and he's a lovely colt. We were a little bit worried about the track conditions today and he just passed in those conditions. We got first use of it (track) and it's bordering on heavy.”

From high-class race mare Our Ella Belle, a fast finisher for third to Katie Lee (Pins) in the 2009 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), the family has been nurtured by Pencarrow since (Sir) Peter and Philip Vela bought her fourth dam, Heidi Belle (Copenhagen 11).

“I'm absolutely thrilled for my colts' syndicate that I bought for that year,” Ellis said. “He's won three out of six and I think he's going to go on and do a lot more, yet. He's strengthening up and maturing into a lovely colt. He's got a good temperament and I can see him winning a lot more races. 

“Opie said he didn't really lengthen stride on the heavy track, but his track work throughout this campaign has been of a very high standard. So, we were very confident that he would run well but would have preferred to see him on a better track. 

“He needed to run in order to race Labour Day Monday in the Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa, and he goes there now in winning form.

“Mark Walker trained the mother of Equinox, Our Ella Belle, and she was very unlucky not to win the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton, when she was ridden by James McDonald, and I knew she'd leave a really good horse.”

Amongst his priorities, Ellis said he had also started inspections ahead of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs on 20 & 21 November at Karaka.

“Our attentions have turned to the Ready to Run Sale, which is only four weeks away, and we've already started looking at the horses. We've had terrific success with horses from this sale, including Group One winners Gingernuts and Hall of Fame, and we're looking forward to buying more nice horses at a sale that is really proving itself.”

Equinox carries a Northern Dancer cross through the breeding of Exceed and Excel and as the great-grandsire of dam sire Encosta De Lago, and resides in the Te Akau colt barn at Matamata.

“Scott Lucock runs the colt barn and he's doing an absolutely fantastic job looking after our male horses in that barn including our valuable colts,” Ellis said. “And this year's colts' syndicate will have its first runner, Press Baron (Written Tycoon), at Ellerslie next Saturday.” 

Equinox was strapped by Mette Mosebo. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

Back