He's Both Cool & Fast

Cool ‘N’ Fast (4 g Savabeel – Cool ‘N’ Sassy, by Testa Rossa) recorded the 80th win this season for premiership leading trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, in the $40,000 Rating 65 1400 metres on 20 February at Ashburton.

The Te Akau trainers kept alive an unbeaten six-year streak for the stable when winning their 16th Training Premiership title in the 2024/25 season, which coincided with the pair also being named Champion Trainers, after recording 131 wins and establishing a new record of $9.27 million in prize money.

Impressive winning as a two-year-old, Cool ‘N’ Fast was on the sidelines with injury as a three-year-old, but produced some good efforts since resuming from a lengthy break, and ran fastest last 600m (35.6) for fourth in the Rating 65 1400 metres on 24 January at Riccarton.

Combining with Te Akau apprentice Hayley Hassman (a2), who reduced the weight to 57.5kg, Cool ‘N’ Fast began well from barrier two to trail, improved into the clear turning for home and after leading at the 300m he sustained his run to win.

In the race sponsored by Agraform Growing Innovation, Cool ‘N’ Fast ran 1400 metres in 1:25.8, last 600m in 36.2 (approx.), on Soft6 footing, and paid $5.00 & $1.90 on the NZ TAB tote.

“It’s terrific for the stable to bring about the 80th win for the season, and a lovely ride of Hayley’s,” Walker said. “She’s been riding very well for a relatively new apprentice, and her balance, being able to change the whip over from right to left hand, is really helping a lot of horses to find an extra length, and that showed to today in Cool ‘N’ Fast winning.

“Hunter (Durrant) and the team have got the horse looking terrific, and hopefully the win will give him the confidence to go on to the next level.”

Cool ‘N’ Fast is a brother to Te Akau bought and trained Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) and Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) winner Cool Aza Beel, crowned Champion Two-Year-Old and now a sire in Australia. 

After purchasing Cool Aza Beel from the draft of Fairdale Stud, at Karaka, David Ellis CNZM bought Cool ‘N’ Fast, from the draft of Hallmark Stud, at the 2023 Karaka Book 1 Sale, and he is owned by Te Akau Cool ‘N’ Fast Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Like Cool Aza Beel, Cool ‘N’ Fast was also bred by Fairdale Stud, while the latter was prepared for sale by Hallmark Stud.

The pair are by 10-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), and carry the sire influence of Testa Rossa (Perugino), Red Ransom (Roberto), and Bletchingly (Biscay), on their dam side. 

His dam Cool ‘n’ Sassy won three times to 1200 metres in Australia, and Cool ‘N’ Fast is line bred to immortal sire Northern Dancer along with blue blood producing mare Special, the dam of 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner and Champion Sire Nureyev. 

The sire of Cool ‘n’ Sassy, Testa Rossa, was a Group One winner aged two, three, and four, before becoming a multiple Group One producing sire and now versatile and proven broodmare sire.

A young sire at Newhaven Park Stud in NSW, Australia, Cool Aza Beel has already produced Group One winner Cool Archie and five-time winner Cool Aza Rene, purchased by Ellis as a yearling on the Gold Coast, who included winning the Group 3 Barneswood Stakes (1400m).