Heroic Valour Remains Unbeaten

The Informant reports:

Heroic Valour extended his unbeaten career record to four out of four with a sensational first-up performance in the Listed Tavistock Northland Breeders' Stakes at Ruakaka this afternoon.

Co-trainer Jamie Richards admitted to some nerves as he brought the valuable Fastnet Rock colt north for this afternoon's resuming run. Heroic Valour cost $400,000 as a Karaka yearling and enhanced his value in an impressive three-start, three-win juvenile campaign headed by a win in the Gr. 1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.

“There's a lot of pressure bringing a horse like this back to the races,” Richards said. “David Ellis bought him at Karaka with the intention of making him into a stallion.”

Facing an outstanding three-year-old field, Heroic Valour was the favourite to add another win to his resume this afternoon. He lived up to those expectations with another top-shelf performance, but it wasn't without its nervous moments.

Halfway down the straight Heroic Valour's prospects looked bleak and his unbeaten record appeared to be slipping away. He was midfield, several lengths behind the leader and struggling to find room to make his bid.

But under the urgings of Matt Cameron, the star colt called on all of his star qualities to claw his way back into the contest. He gradually got the better of the brave leader Ferrnado, then dug very deep to hold out the fast-finishing locals The Soultaker and Wyndspelle.

Heroic Valour lunged for the line and won by a desperate head, adding his name to a star-studded Northland Breeders' Stakes honour roll that in recent years includes Sacred Falls, El Roca and Vespa.

“He did it the hard way,” a relieved Richards said. “Matt Cameron rode him superbly. He didn't have things all his own way, he copped a check at the top of the straight and then got squeezed up again and took a while to get into the clear.

“He's not a horse who's ever going to win by much, but he gives it his all and he's a very good horse.”

Having missed the Diamond Stakes-winning ride on Heroic Valour when he opted to ride the stablemate Sassy 'N' Smart instead, Cameron was pleased to get back on the exciting colt's back this afternoon and carry on their winning partnership. He was aboard for his first two starts, a debut win at Trentham followed by the Listed Reid & Harrison Slipper at Matamata.

“It wasn't easy for him today, but once he got out he hit the line really well,” Cameron said. “I think this race today will be the best possible thing for him as he builds towards the rest of the spring. He improved a lot for each of his two trials, and this will improve him even more.”

Cameron, Richards, senior training partner Stephen Autridge and owners Te Akau Racing are now looking at bigger and better things further down the track. Today's win earned Heroic Valour outright favouritism for the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton, rated as $5 chance with Ugo Foscolo at $6.

The two unbeaten colts are set to meet for the first time in next month's Gr. 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas.

“We'll push on to the Hawke's Bay Guineas next and then hopefully carry on down to Riccarton in November,” Richards said.