Exciting Win Excitonic

An emphatic second-up Maiden winner over 1400 metres as a three-year-old, Excitonic (4 g Savabeel - Bint Piavonic, by Encosta De Lago) emulated in the $10,000 Rating 65 1400 metres on 5 May at Ruakaka.

After running home solidly for fourth when resuming in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 17 April at Hastings, Excitonic rated a top three chance from barrier two and benefitted from a well judged ride by Te Akau stable jockey Opie Bosson.

Bosson had been taken with Excitonic when aboard for his Maiden victory at Rotorua, and they clicked again. On the bridle three back inner, he eased off approaching the 600m, found room at the 300m and Excitonic quickened accordingly to win narrowly but well.

In the race sponsored by Aotea Electric Northland, he ran the 1400 metres in 1:23.1 on Dead4 footing and returned a healthy $4.90 & $2.00 on the NZ TAB tote.

“He's always shown a fair bit of ability and it was another good win,” said Jamie Richards, who notched his 153^rdtraining success for the season at a 4.7 strike rate.

“He's been quite immature all the way through and we gave him a good break at the end of his last campaign.  He's come back in good order and we've made a few changes to the way we train him. He trialled and worked well before resuming and got home well fresh-up at Hastings.

“It looked a nice race from him and it was a lovely ride by Opie, managing to get there in the last couple of bounds.

“The owners have been patient and he's done a good job to reward them with another win. How far we keep pushing in this campaign I'm not sure, but with a bit more time hopefully he can progress further next season.”

Purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM for $230,000 from the draft of Brighthill Farm at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book1 Karaka Sale, he is owned by the Te Akau Excitonic Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“He looked on target to improve further on his fresh-up run over 1200 metres and Opie (Bosson) rode him to perfection,” Ellis said.

“He's always been a really nice horse, but had a hiccup with his health, needed time and provided he remains sound then he's got the ability to win more races. It's been a while between drinks for the owners and I'm thrilled he's won again.

“I bought him from a Brighthill Farm draft. It's a really good farm operated by the King family. They're doing an amazing job and their young sons, Benji and Charlie, are both terrific in helping us at the stables in Matamata too.

“Brighthill punches above its weight and has got some really nice stallions and mares to breed from.

“The stable continues getting winners at regular intervals even as we head into a quieter time of the season for us traditionally.  To have won 40 stakes' races among a record tally for the season makes it very satisfying for everyone involved. We've managed to achieve results that have never been reached before.

“It makes it more difficult to have a gun strike rate when we have to line up multiple runners in some races, but Jamie has done a fantastic job in his placement of the horses.

“We're lucky to have such a good track manager at Matamata in Graeme Styles and the facilities that we have to train on are first-class.

“He's a great communicator and works with the trainers to make sure we get the best training tracks to work on. They are world-class facilities, really. The club has a really good committee and Graeme and his staff put everything into it.”

By six-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), the dam of Excitonic, Bint Piavonic, is the daughter of a terrific nine-time race winner Piavonic (Scenic), who defeated Sunline (Desert Sun) and Falvelon (Alannon) in the Manikato Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m).

Dam sire Encosta de Lago (Fairy King) is a Champion Sire and Broodmare Sire, setting an Australian record for progeny earnings (over $17m) in a single season. His influence in the pedigree is distinguished, along with that of breed shaping sire Northern Dancer.

Excitonic was strapped by Mette Mosebo.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz