Te Rapa Treble - Markus Aurelius Awesome

Impressive winning on New Zealand Cup Day at Riccarton, Markus Aurelius  (4 g Ghibellines - Evancho, by Shinzig) resumed with another smart effort in the $11,000 Rating 74 1400 metres on 3 February at Te Rapa.

Freshened after rounding out six wins on the day by trainer Jamie Richards on 14 November, Markus Aurelius made up plenty of ground to grab third when trialling on 12 January at Matamata, and with weight relief to 55.5kg he rated a top three chance fresh-up.

Te Akau apprentice Joe Kamaruddin (a4) had him tailing a small field of five before tracking off the rail at the 500m and it was all over once he asserted mid-straight.

On Dead4 footing, Markus Aurelius ran the 1400 metres in a slick 1:21.3, last 600m in 34.2, and mirrored the three and a half lengths margin of his previous success.

Backed into cramped odds ($1.60 & $1.10), Markus Aurelius was a bargain buy ($13,000) by David Ellis CNZM at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Sale, from the draft of White Robe Lodge, and extended his record for owners in the Te Akau Great Southern Man Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn-Fenton Ellis) to four wins, two seconds, and third, from nine starts.

“He was very impressive again and well placed by Jamie (Richards) to resume in the same grade as he won on New Zealand Cup Day,” Ellis said.

“His record suggests that he's a very promising horse. He's maturing into a pretty imposing type and he's got the pedigree and ability to measure up in Open grade. It's terrific for the owners, and the White Robe stallion Ghibellines who won the Todman Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m).”

Markus Aurelius carries a lovely Danehill cross, through the dam side of Ghibellines and as the sire of dam sire Shinzig. His dam, Evancho (Shinzig), won four times to 2100 metres.

“It was a really nice ride from Joe (Kamaruddin) and a good first-up win by the horse,” said trainer Jamie Richards.

Only last Thursday, Richards became the fastest to train 100 wins in a season when Exaltation (Not A Single Doubt), a half-sister to stable-mate and dual Horse of the Year Melody Belle (Commands), won at Hastings. Somewhat fittingly, Melody Belle then equalled the Group One record (13) set by Sunline (Desert Sun) when taking out the Thorndon Mile (Gr. 1, 1600m) last Saturday at Trentham, in both a record-breaking and record-equalling week for the trainer.

“We had the race picked out for a little while, since he returned from the South Island, and it looked an ideal race to treat a bit like a second trial.

“He's put more money in the bin for the owners and I'm pleased with the way the plan worked out.

“He's getting up in the rating points pretty quickly, which we have to be mindful of, and we'll have to plot a path based a bit around on how we're treated by the handicapper. He's still quite new to it all.”

Markus Aurelius was strapped by Roushan Khan.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz