Maturing Like A Fine Wine

At her third start back from a spell, Lady Pinot (4 m Starspangledbanner - Madame Echezeaux, by Montjeu) beat a good field in the $10,000 Kope Turf Bar Rating 65 1200 metres on 14 June at Te Teko.

After winning a preparatory trial in March at Matamata, Lady Pinot had finished fourth and fifth respectively in Saturday events, previously trialled well on the course as a younger horse before finishing second on debut, and trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards presented her in excellent order thirty-two days since her last outing.

Handily placed in the trail from the outset and travelling boldly for rider Cameron Lammas, she quickened through to lead on the point of the home turn at the 400m and held the favourite Sleeping Beauty (Rip Van Winkle) comfortably at bay after establishing a two-length advantage inside the final furlong.

“She hasn't had a lot of luck in her last couple, but she's got a bit of speed and most importantly Cameron (Lammas) gets on with her very well,” Richards said.

“She travelled really nicely mid-race and finished off strongly, so hopefully it won't be her last win. We'll try and work our way through the grades a little bit. We would like to pick up a couple more wins with her and if she managed to get some black type at some stage then that would be great for the future.

“She had been working well at home and she has a very loyal group of owners,” he added.

Upsetting the more favoured contenders, Lady Pinot returned punters $10.00 & $3.00 fixed odds and $9.80 & $3.30 on the NZ TAB tote after offering as much as $28.00 in final field betting overnight.

Winning by half a length, Lady Pinot covered the 1200 metres in 1:15.5, last 600m in 37.6, on footing just into the heavy range.

Owned by Dave & Nicky Hurst, Dianne Ford, Jim & Pauline Hepburn, Peter & Jenny Georgetti, Glenn & Cathie Holmes, and David & Matt Peacocke, Lady Pinot was purchased by David Ellis for $200,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Pencarrow Stud, from a family that needs little introduction.

“She is from the wonderful Pencarrow family of Darci Brahma (Danehill) and Burgundy (Redoute's Choice) and this filly has always been a strong running type by world champion sprinter Starspangledbanner (Choisir),” Ellis said.

“It's one of the best families in New Zealand, and the dam herself has already left winners Pink Bubbles (Pins) and the promising galloper Cote De Nuits (Stravinsky).

“Lady Pinot is going to make a fantastic broodmare later on and her progeny will be well sought after at any sale in the Southern Hemisphere.”

Ellis said that some of the ownership team had been with Te Akau for many years and enjoyed Group One successes with horses like King's Chapel (King of Kings), Maroofity (Maroof), Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago) and more recently Hall of Fame (Savabeel), Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock), Xtravagant (Pentire) and others.

“This filly has just needed a bit of time and she has a terrific group of owners that have been prepared to give her the time. I'm thrilled for them. They are all real racing enthusiasts and it's always great to win races for people like that, and given the way she won I see no reason why she couldn't carry on and win more races.

“We haven't got many horses to race through the winter months and our focus is on educating the young horses and getting all the older horses fit so that they're ready to trial in August and September before racing."

Ellis took a moment to reflect on what has been a vintage season for Te Akau, with the stable turning out a host of group and stakes winning performers, not just at home but also abroad, and the training partnership leads the way in prize money earned for the owners.

“Steve and Jamie have trained horses to win races in the North Island, South Island, Melbourne, Sydney, and recently in Brisbane,” Ellis said. “It's been a fantastic team effort and I'm just so proud of all the team that have put the show on, and we've got a fantastic stable of horses to race this spring”.

Richards also reported that a majority of the horses had arrived home after recently campaigning during the Queensland Winter Carnival.

“They all arrived back at Te Akau this morning, and probably Eagle Farm [heavy ground] took a bit more out of them than we thought,” he said.

“Jimmy Rea has stayed over there and he'll run again in a fortnight and all the others have come home.”

Lady Pinot was strapped by Melissa Ford.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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