Hall of Fame Outclasses Rivals

The Informant reports:

Heroic Valour may have lost his unbeaten record with a well-beaten third at Hastings yesterday afternoon, but in the swings and roundabouts of racing another Te Akau three-year-old forced himself into New Zealand 2000 Guineas contention with a runaway win at Riccarton.

Hall Of Fame was one of the hottest favourites of the day at $1.90 for the $20,000 Inglewood Stud Guineas Trial, and he bounded away from his overmatched opposition.

Ridden by Michael McNab for Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, the Savabeel colt sat in second place behind Zakynthos for most of the 1400-metre journey. He asserted his superiority soon after turning for home, cruising to the lead and kicking away with a powerful turn of foot inside the last 300 metres.

Hall Of Fame crossed the finish line all alone, with more than three lengths back to the fast-finishing Stephenstihls and Shadow King. The impressive winner stopped the clock at 1:23.69 on a Good3 track.

A son of the Galileo mare Around The Clock, Hall Of Fame was a $230,000 purchase by Te Akau principal David Ellis at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale.

He has now had five starts for two wins and two second placings, and after today's win he is the equal fourth favourite for the 2000 Guineas at $9.