Group 2 Honours for Captured By Love

Easy as you like, Captured By Love (2 f Written Tycoon – Moldova, by Snitzel) impressively won the $175,000 Mode Technology Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m) on Saturday at Trentham. 

After making a perfect start to her career in the 2YO 1000 metres on 12 November at Tauherenikau, when stretching out nicely in the process, Captured By Love faced a stiffer task second-up into a stakes' race but had no qualms.

Away well from barrier three to share the pace, Captured By Love quickened to an advantage mid-straight and outclassed her rivals when racing clear to win by three lengths.

Stable rider Opie Bosson barely had to move for the result to unfold and was suitably taken by the performance.

“She was always cruising underneath me, having a good look around, spotted everything on the course, but she’s got a big, long stretch about her and a big strong filly too,” Bosson said.

“She’s just natural, would probably be better chasing them, but drew inside, cruised up to the leaders and was just too good.”

It was also another top effort for third by stable-mate Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard), who won the 2YO 1000 metres during Cup Week on 15 November at Riccarton, when flattening out with a terrific sprint. 

On footing upgraded to Good3, Captured By Love ran 1:02.4 and shortened in betting to pay $4.00 & $1.40 on the NZ TAB tote.

Captured By Love joined previous Wakefield Stakes' winners for the stable: Aotea Lad (Savabeel), Maroofity (Maroof), Kapsdan (Kaapstad), and King’s Ransom (King’s Chapel), while notching the 13th stakes' win this season across New Zealand and Australia.

Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson at Matamata, Captured By Love was touted by Walker prior to the race and he began his post-race interview by acknowledging the birthday of Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM.

“First of all, happy birthday to our team leader and that will be a special win for him,” Walker said.

“He bought her at Magic Millions, she's a beautiful filly, and Opie (Bosson) was pretty bullish about her. 

“He worked pretty hard at it (weight) during the week, so full credit to him getting down to ride her at 55kg.

“She’s had two trips away so we’ll get her home for a couple of quiet days and by the middle of next week we should know what the plans might be.

“She’s got good size and strength which will count for a lot later on.”

Captured By Love is eligible for the A$3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic 2024 (Restricted Listed, 1200m) raced on Saturday 13 January at Gold Coast Racecourse.

“Longer term she’s got a really bright future, so whether that’s the right thing to do I’m not so sure,” Walker added. 

Owned by Te Akau 2023 Magic Fillies’ Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Captured By Love was purchased by David Ellis CNZM in January at the 2023 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Milburn Creek.

“It was a bit difficult to line up the form lines, with Captured By Love winning at Tauherenikau, Dream Of The Moon at Riccarton, and form out of Pukekohe and Te Rapa,” Ellis said.

“We bought both those fillies on the Gold Coast in January. Captured By Love is one of two in a fillies syndicate and the other one, The Victress (Zousain), looked good winning a trial and isn't far away from racing.

“One of our most supportive owners, John Elstob, has a share in both fillies and also All Black Anton Lienert-Brown has a share in the syndicate that includes Captured By Love.

“Mark’s a believer that these trips away can be the makings of them and he and Sam, along with our racing manager Reece Trumper, are doing a great job placing these horses.

“It was a push for Opie to make the weight, but just shows his determination and professionalism and he gave her a beautiful ride.”

By an outstanding sire, Written Tycoon (Iglesia) topped the Australian General Sires’ List in 2021 after rising from an initial service fee of $8,250 to command $165,000 and now has a private fee.

Leading First Season Sire and Champion Two-Year-Old Sire, Written Tycoon has produced horses to win over 120 stakes' races including 15 Group Ones, and is already a sire of sires with Golden Slipper (Gr. 1, 1200m) winner Capitalist, Group One winners Written By and Ole Kirk, and Rich Enuff and Winning Rupert. 

Dam-sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), a two-time Champion Sire of Two-Year-Olds in Australia, equalled and then surpassed Danehill with a record number of individual two-year-old winners in a season – a mark that now stands at 35. He has also headed the General Sires’ List twice and was Australian Champion Sire in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

As a broodmare sire, Snitzel, a son of Champion Broodmare Sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), is increasingly making his presence felt and last season his daughters left 10 stakes' winners.

Captured By Love is the first foal of Moldova, who won twice at 1100 metres in Australia, while the dam-line has mated tremendously with eight time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), including multiple stakes winner Savvy Nature, stakes' winner Addictive Nature, and 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Hasahalo.

“To have a won both her starts, including a stakes' race, makes her a very valuable filly, and we’ll be going back to the Gold Coast sales in January to keep the tradition going,” Ellis said.

“We’ve bought some top horses over a number of years on the Gold Coast, including Imperatriz, and we’ve got a couple of really nice colts out of the sale earlier this year, in the Colts’ Breeding Syndicate, that are getting ready to race.”

Captured By Love was strapped by Sarah West. 

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