Hurrah - Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame (3 c Savabeel - Around the Clock, by Galileo) assured himself a stallion career after winning the $225,000 Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Saturday 14 January at Trentham.

Trained by Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards for the Te Akau 24/7 Syndicate (Mgr: D C Ellis), the five-length Zacinto Stakes' winner had blotted his copybook in the 2000 Guineas but was installed early favourite for the Group One three-year-old feature following an impressive win on Boxing Day in the 3YO 1400 metres at Ellerslie.

“It assures his stallion career for certain, absolutely, and I've already had studs ask me if he's available” said Te Akau principal David Ellis.

“But he hasn't finished yet and he was only having his second start after a layoff. He had a good puff afterwards and he'll improve with the race, don't worry.  Even when he came to the end of his run he kept fighting like a tiger.

“I'm in awe of the job that Steve and Jamie have done with this colt, it's a partnership that is working really well and I'm thrilled to see the way it's all going, it's very satisfying.”

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. It is a well proven family and the Group One victory cements his future.

“I'm thrilled for a number of reasons,” Ellis said. “Firstly, for the owners that paid for the colt and have supported us so much, they've got a really good horse and he's going to be a genuine chance in the upcoming three-year-old classics.

“I'm also relieved because when you're buying a lot of yearlings, you're expected and need to win Group One races regularly and a lot of the owners in Hall of Fame are in Xtravagant and Heroic Valour, so that's the fourth Group One they've won in the last twelve months.

“I'm also really thrilled for all the staff who just work so hard, always with a smile on their face and this win is for them.

“And Dan Miller, everyone knows how highly I rate him, was down here looking after the horse and ably assisted by Libby Richards, Jamie's (Richards) younger sister.

“It was great to see Opie (Bosson) win another Group One in the tangerine, it was a beautiful ride, I think he's won about ten for us and that was about our thirty-sixth Group One.  It's always a special thrill to win a Group One at Trentham, it's such an amazing course; most horses get a good chance there and the Club is doing a great job. The track was in beautiful condition and it was great to be part of it all.

“Now, I'm on my way home to prepare for more yearling inspections, it's a busy time of the year, but it's certainly very rewarding when you get results like this.”

Last start, Hall of Fame gave jockey Opie Bosson his first success since signing on as leading rider for Te Akau, and the former Te Akau apprentice in 1995, recorded his 160^th stakes win with a gem of a ride.

Handily placed on the inner, from barrier one, he eased off to track the favourite, Savile Row (Makfi), at the 1000m to avoid being trapped three deep. Showing a tendency to over-race in tight quarters for a time, he appeared to travel on a nice rein inside the 600m before unleashing a quick turn of foot to lead at the 300m and stuck to his guns after establishing a handy advantage.

At the line, he held a margin over Savile Row, and Jon Snow, as the three came clear of their rivals.

“I probably got to the front a bit soon, he started gazing around on me,” Bosson said. “But, to his credit he stuck his head out at the right time.

“He's got the best attitude for a colt, you wouldn't even know he's a colt, he just goes out there and does his stuff, and I just love him,” he said.

Bosson, who recently returned from a riding stint in Hong Kong, said: “It's awesome to be back in New Zealand, riding in these big races, and it's good to get one in the tangerine colours for the boss”.

In the race sponsored by Randwick Meats, Hall of Fame ran the 1600 metres in 1:35.5 on Dead4 footing, and after drifting to second favourite in the twenty-four hours leading up to the race he tightened again closer to start time, paying $3.70 & $1.60 on the TAB tote and $3.80 & $1.55 fixed odds.

Prior to the race Te Akau principal David Ellis explained how he came to buy the colt.

“Actually, he was passed in at the (2015 NZB) Ready to Run Sale and I went and had a look at him straight after the sale, and I put down in my book that he was the closest thing I'd seen to Galileo ever - his dam sire, probably the leading sire in the world today - as I'd seen him personally at Coolmore Stud,” Ellis said.

“Hall of Fame is out of a Galileo mare, by a great sire in New Zealand, Savabeel, and I paid $230,000 for him five minutes after he came out of the ring.”

Of note, co-trainer Stephen Autridge won the first running of the Levin Classic, when formerly known as the Bayer Classic, aboard Altitude (Magnesia) in 1981 after being aboard at his previous start to win the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m).

“He's always shown plenty,” said Autridge, of Hall of Fame.

“He's a great little colt, possibly had had enough (2000 Guineas), he's had a break and he's come back better than ever.  It was a good field today and he's only just won, but he guts it out.

“It's great for Savabeel to have a Group One colt, great for Te Akau leading into the sales and we're all absolutely rapt.”

Autridge said that while no decision would be made immediately regarding the next start for Hall of Fame, it could be in the $100,000 Darci Brahma Waikato Guineas (Gr. 2, 2000m) on February 4 at Te Rapa, en route to the $1m Vodafone New Zealand Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) on March 4 at Ellerslie.

Hall of Fame was strapped by Daniel Miller.

Photo credits - www.raceimages.co.nz