Little Ripper ~ Cool Aza Rene

Debut winner Cool Aza Rene (2 f Cool Aza Beel – Irene, by Xtravagant) made it two from two in the $65,000 Speight’s Premier 2YO 1000 metres on the middle day of Cup Week (13 Nov.) at Riccarton.

Winning without being extended when trialling on 19 September at Rotorua, Cool Aza Rene recorded a very good debut victory in the 2YO 800 metres on 19 October at Otaki, and she justified favouritism without another faultless display.

Ridden again by Craig Grylls, Cool Aza Rene travelled to the outside of leader Miss Ziggy (Brazen Beau), laid down the gauntlet mid-straight and, following a stern tussle, it was decided as she won by three-quarters of a length, with two and quarter lengths to third placed Quisiera (Sweynesse).

“She’s the ultimate professional because it’s only her second start, but behind the gates she was walking around like a kid’s pony,” Grylls said.

“She does everything asked of her and has a real will to win.”

It was another polished performance by the strong bodied filly that carries resemblance to both her sire and dam sire, each of whom were purchased as yearlings by David Ellis CNZM, both becoming Te Akau trained Group One winners, and both now standing at Newhaven Park Stud in NSW. 

On footing upgraded to Good4, Cool Aza Beel ran 1000 metres into a stiff easterly in 58.1, last 600m in 33.8, and paid $1.30 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She’s a filly that Dave (Ellis) bought cheaply at the Magic Millions Sale for $55,000 and Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) syndicated an exciting ownership group into her,” said Mark Walker, who trains with Sam Bergerson - the pair also notching their 50th win for the season to clearly lead the premiership in the first quarter of the season at an impressive strike rate of 4.3.

“She’s handled the travelling and racing and Hunter (Durrant) and the team at Riccarton had her in wonderful order after she’d done the initial training at the stables in Matamata.

“We’ll give her a slight freshen-up now and she’ll come up via Trentham for the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes 1100m on 21 December.

“She’s got a fantastic brain on her, like all the Cool Aza Beel’s have and if they’ve all got attitudes like her, we’ll certainly be looking to get more progeny by him in the stable.”

On course, Bergerson said: “She loves being a racehorse and as you can see in the birdcage she’s got plenty of condition for a young horse and hasn’t missed a beat since travelling down from the North Island, obviously via Otaki where she was really good.

“She has a great racing pattern, another positive ride by Gryllsie, and she stuck her neck out and really tried hard. 

“It was a really good battle up the straight, and the second filly has good talent too but fair play to our filly, she’s gutsy and loves being a racehorse.”

Cool Aza Rene was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for A$55,000 in January this year at the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Newhaven Park, and is owned by the Te Akau One Cool Beel Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). 

Cool Aza Rene is only the third runner by Cool Aza Beel, following two in Australia. 

“She was from the first crop by Cool Aza Beel and we bought her from one of the best studs in the world, Newhaven Park, run by the Kelly family, and we’re very lucky to have both Cool Aza Beel and Xtravagant standing there at stud,” Ellis said.

“It’s obvious that Cool Aza Beel is mating very well with Xtravagant mares and of course there is a bloodline cross to Zabeel there that is hard to beat.

“Xtravagant still holds the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas 1600m track record (1:33.5) when he won by over eight lengths, and we had a nice filly (Celestial Wonder) by him win impressively on Tuesday at Te Aroha.

“I’d like to congratulate all of our team in reaching 50 wins so early in the season and it was the 26th win from our South Island stable which means Te Akau is the leading stable there. Quite incredible when you think we’ve only got 21 horses in training at Riccarton.

“I think it’s something that Hunter Durrant and our team at Riccarton should be incredibly proud of, because both Karyn and I certainly are.

“We have a lot of wonderful owners in Cool Aza Rene and it couldn’t be a better outcome to be training such a promising filly from the first crop of Cool Aza Beel. It’s a big thrill.

“It’s always gratifying to have Craig Grylls ride winners for us too, because his father Gary Grylls rode my first Group One winner when Cosmetique won the Easter Handicap in 1986 at Ellerslie.”

A direct descendant of Champion 2YO Filly in Australia, Hasna (Snippets), Cool Aza Rene is the first foal out of a mare by dual Group One winner Xtravagant (Pentire).

Grand-dam Hades is by Champion Sire and Champion Broodmare Sire Encosta de Lago (Fairy King) and produced four individual winners of 17 races, including Group Three placed dual winner Mintha (Redoute’s Choice).

Third dam Hasna (Snippets) won two legs of the Triple Crown: Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) and Champagne Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m), among seven victories from 1000m to 1600m. 

Cool Aza Rene carries a cross of unparalleled New Zealand sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram) on the sire line of Cool Aza Beel and dam line of dam sire Xtravagant.  

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “She is a really well structured filly with plenty of substance and we saw a lot of both Cool Aza Beel and Xtravagant in her makeup. 

“Cool Aza Beel was a readymade two-year-old that became Champion Two-Year-Old and it’s very exciting to purchase one of his first progeny for sale.”

Cool Aza Rene was strapped by Ashlyn Lee. 

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz