Heroic Valour Chases Group 1 Double

The Informant reports:

Unbeaten colt Heroic Valour has already created a massive impression and made history, and his brief juvenile campaign will draw to a close with what connections hope will be a second Group One triumph in tomorrow's (Saturday) Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni.

The Fastnet Rock colt, a $400,000 yearling purchase at Karaka, has had three starts for three impressive wins. In the process he became the first son of the international superstar sire to win a Group One race at the age of two.

Unfancied in the Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie at 17-to-one odds, the striking bay overcame greenness and a star-studded field to score a narrow but powerful victory over Wyndspelle and O'Rachael. It followed stylish but wayward performances in a debut victory at Trentham in late January and the Listed Reid & Harrison Slipper at Matamata.

Only four horses have won the Group One double in the last 16 years - Grout in 2002, Te Akau runner Maroofity in 2003, Jokers Wild in 2006 and Anabandana in 2011.

Te Akau principal David Ellis and trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards took several days to reach a decision over whether Heroic Valour should have his chance to join that company. Halfway through last week he was given the green light.

“He's obviously a pretty valuable colt now, so we just wanted to make sure everything was 100 per cent with him before we gave him the go-ahead for Awapuni,” Richards explained.

“He's not really a natural two-year-old, we don't want to push him into doing too much too early, but in the end we saw no reason not to carry on.

“He took a bit of time to find his position in the Diamond Stakes over 1200 metres last time, so you'd think the extra 200 metres this weekend would suit him perfectly. He's by Fastnet Rock, whose progeny tend to be strong sprinter-milers.

“He really has put his hand up every time and kept improving. He's a very exciting colt. He's already done things no other horses have, being the first Fastnet Rock to win a Group One race at two.”

Heroic Valour is part of a two-pronged Te Akau attack on tomorrow's $225,000 race, with stakes-winning stablemate Sassy 'N' Smart also in the field. The Smart Missile filly was an eye-catching sixth in the Diamond Stakes after breaking from a wide gate. She has drawn much better tomorrow at five, with Heroic Valour jumping from gate two.

“The draws of two and five are beautiful, we couldn't have asked for better,” Richards said. “Those are much more favourable draws than they had at Ellerslie.

“Sassy 'N' Smart lost no admirers with her performance at Ellerslie. She just had a tough trip after jumping from the bad draw. She jumped away well, but she just got shuffled back a bit as everybody else moved into their positions.

“We were really pleased with how she found the line. Her closing sectionals were as good as anything in the race. If she can get an economical trip from her draw of five, she should give herself every chance. If she can produce the same finish from four, five or six lengths closer at the turn, she'll have a very strong chance in the race.

“Overall, both of them are going along really nicely heading into this weekend. They both worked very well on Tuesday morning and we couldn't be any happier with them. They're spot on.”

Te Akau's number one rider Matt Cameron had the choice between the pair for the Diamond Stakes and pulled the wrong rein in opting to ride Sassy 'N' Smart. Jonathan Riddell took the winning ride on Heroic Valour, and the riders will be the same tomorrow.

“The jockeys will be exactly the same as at Ellerslie,” Richards said. “Jonathan Riddell is very happy to take the ride on Heroic Valour again. Matt came down and galloped Sassy 'N' Smart on Tuesday and was delighted with her work. He's very happy to stick with her.”

|

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

Diamond Stakes placegetters Wyndspelle and O'Rachael both return for a rematch with Heroic Valour at Awapuni tomorrow.

Iffraaj colt Wyndspelle went into the Ellerslie feature with a win and a second from his two previous starts, and he produced an explosive finish from midfield to get within a neck of the winner in second place.

Wyndspelle's trainers Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs are looking forward to going to battle with Heroic Valour again tomorrow afternoon.

“He's been doing very, very well in the last couple of weeks,” Logan said. “He's progressed through absolutely perfectly.

“The step up to 1400 metres is definitely going to suit him right down to the ground. He's been crying out for it and he'll love it.”

O'Rachael was an unlucky seventh in the Gr. 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes leading into the Diamond Stakes, for which she was sent out as a 34-to-one outsider. But the Northern Meteor filly fought tenaciously down the straight for her third placing, crossing the line less than half a length behind the winner.

“She's been doing really well since Ellerslie and we're very happy with her progress,” co-trainer Stephen McKee said. “She had a couple of easy days just after the race, but she's got back into her work nicely since then and her trackwork over the last week or so has been excellent.

“I think the step up to 1400 metres on Saturday shouldn't be too much of an issue for her. She's had five starts now and has had pretty good grounding in this campaign. It shouldn't be beyond her at all and we think she'll go another good race.”

The Matamata Breeders' Stakes was taken out by the locally trained Gold Rush, who became the first winner and first stakes winner for her sire So You Think.

Trainers Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott decided to skip the Diamond Stakes with the lightly raced filly and concentrate on the Sires' Produce Stakes.

“We just thought she'd benefit with a bit more time between races, so we bypassed Ellerslie and set her for Awapuni,” Scott said. “She had a bit of an easy time just after the Matamata Breeders' Stakes, but she's been working really well in the last couple of weeks.

“We're very happy with how she's been training leading into Saturday, her work has been excellent. We can't fault her condition at all.”

The field also includes Wakefield Challenge Stakes winner Leading Role and last-start winners My Paisann, Karavali and Luna Rossa.