Hall of Fame - New Season Beckons

Group One winning colt Hall of Fame (Savabeel) is about to start preparing for the new season.
“He'll rejoin the stable in ten days,” said co-trainer Stephen Autridge, who prepares the horse with Jamie Richards.

“He looks good, strong, furnished into a lovely horse and he'll be getting set for Group One races.

“He has a ton of ability, has done well for a break and around Christmas/New Year we would like to see him getting into the best races with the right weights.”

Hall of Fame was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $230,000 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm, following a fine looking breeze up in 10.9 seconds. Owned by the Te Akau 24/7 Syndicate, he has won five of his eleven starts including the Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) and Zacinto Stakes (Listed, 1600m).

Hall of Fame is another of the horses purchased by Ellis that has helped ensure a stellar season for Te Akau Racing.

David Ellis only purchased two horses from the Ready to Run Sale that year - and both became Group 1 winners this season - Champion 3YO and Champion Stayer nominee Gingernuts and Hall of Fame - winning three Group 1 races between them.

“We're nearing the end of a wonderful season,” Ellis said. “Steve (Autridge) and Jamie (Richards) lead the New Zealand Trainers' Premiership for prize money won - they have also won fourteen stakes' races and I'm very proud of the horses and all the staff for their hard work."

During the season, Te Akau Racing won four Group One races, four Group Two, three Group Three, and Three Listed races and included the two richest races in New Zealand: $1m New Zealand Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) won by Gingernuts (Iffraaj) and $1m Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) to Melody Belle (Commands).

Gingernuts and Melody Belle, along with Gold Fever (Savabeel) are finalists for Champion Three-Year-Old and Champion Two-Year-Old, respectively, and all finalists are also eligible to become NZ Horse of the Year. The trio gives Te Akau a good chance of adding to their tally of 35 champion titles.

Additional info:

On his dam side, Hall of Fame stems from a family of stakes producing mares and his fifth dam, Miss Valencia, was Australian Broodmare of the Year.

He is the first foal out of winning Galileo (Sadler's Wells) mare Around The Clock, while his second dam, Night And Day (Catbird), is a three-quarter sister to the dual Group One winner Nothin' Leica Dane (Danehill). Also in the family is Group Two winner and sire Duelled (Redoute's Choice), and the Listed winner and Group One placed Thrilling Day (Prego).

When winning the Levin Classic, Hall Of Fame provided Savabeel (Zabeel) with his 12th individual Group One winner.