Full of Grace, Full of Running

Bred on the same cross as champion mare Silent Achiever, Full of Grace (3 g O'Reilly - Tuesday's Child, by Zabeel) scored a very good win on 16 May in the $10,000 Lion Red Maiden 1400 metres at Ruakaka.

Not only does he share the same O'Reilly (Last Tycoon)/Zabeel (Sir Tristram) cross as the quadruple Group One winner of $3.6 million in prize money, he also hails from the family of breed shaping stallion Redoute's Choice (Danehill).

A yearling that both Te Akau principal David Ellis and Sir Patrick Hogan loved as a type, he was snapped up by Ellis for $110,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, from the draft of Cambridge Stud, and owned by the Te Akau Full of Grace Syndicate.

“He was a very athletic colt, the first foal from a young Zabeel mare and it's an incredibly good family,” said Ellis, referring to the likes of stallions Niagara (Encosta De Lago), Umatilla (Miswaki), Hurricane Sky (Star Watch) and Manhattan Rain (Encosta De Lago) that grace the pedigree page.

“Having rated him so highly, we had plenty more to spend on him and he's a horse that second time in has won really well.”

Winning a trial at Avondale, before resuming with a strong finish for third in the Maiden 1300 metres on 26 April at Tauranga, Full of Grace had his hand forced in front on the rail but produced a good kick in the straight to clear his rivals and there was plenty of merit in the two and a quarter length success.

Ridden by Opie Bosson, Full of Grace ran the 1400 metres in 1:24.7, last 600m in 36.3, on Dead5 footing and returned $2.90 & $1.40 on the NZ TAB tote.

“He's a horse that has needed a bit of time and well done to the owners for allowing Steve and Jamie the opportunity to be patient with him,” Ellis said.

“They gave him a break after two starts in the spring and it's been the makings of him. Not every horse has the precocity to run as a two-year-old and really good trainers can identify what's best for each horse. They look after them and get them ready to race as three-year-olds and this horse has a chance of developing into a really nice four, five, and six year old.

“We advertised him for sale in the New Zealand Herald and a lot of the owners came from that enquiry. They're a great bunch of people and I'm so thrilled that they've had a very encouraging win.”

Full of Grace also kept alive a purple patch of form for trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, becoming the 15^th from the last 25 presented at the races.

“Te Akau doesn't have many runners at this time of year, when the tracks are turning for the worse,” said Ellis, “and although Opie hasn't been doing a lot of riding lately it just shows what a great asset he is to the stable and he's an unbelievable horseman and class rider.

Co-trainer Jamie Richards said: “He was a really nice yearling, a smaller, neater type by O'Reilly that we thought may come a bit sooner, but he's needed a bit of time. His first up run was very good. He was a little bit unlucky, didn't have a lot of room and I said to Opie beforehand that he won his trial off the front and if you get a soft lead it wouldn't be the worst spot to be. He managed to get a cheap sectional across the top and found a really good kick to win well.

“So, he's an improving horse. As we get a bit deeper into the winter, he will probably have a little break, similar to (recent winner) Seirios, and he too will improve again as a four-year-old.”

On course to enjoy the thrill live, first time owners Kevin and Shirley Johns made an extremely worthwhile trip from New Plymouth.

Full of Grace was strapped by Meg Lambert.
Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz