Mitre Peak Tough

Stepping in the right direction, Mitre Peak (3 f More Than Ready – Liten Prinsessa, by Bernardini) produced a big effort to win the $22,000 3YO 1400 metres on 12 July at Riccarton.

Having won the Pearl Series Maiden Fillies & Mares 1200 metres (eligible $26,000 bonuses) on 31 May and finishing close third in the 3YO 1400 metres on 13 June, both on the poly track at Riccarton, Mitre Peak brought the right form amongst similar company to rate a top three chance.

Continuing her fine association with Te Akau apprentice Niranjan Parmar, leading his peers in the premiership, Mitre Peak was content to lop along at the rear (seven lengths 600m), presented to the outside on straightening and let down with raking strides in a well timed finish to snare victory. 

In beating strongly supported Motiontime, who had won four races, the performance by Mitre Peak was in keeping with the good progress she had made since recently winning her Maiden.

Running 1400 metres in 1:24.0 on the poly track, in the race sponsored by Speight’s Summit Ultra On Tap, Mitre Peak returned $6.30 & $1.50 on the NZ TAB tote.

For the Te Akau South Island stable at Riccarton, managed throughout the season by Hunter Durrant and Ashley Handley, Mitre Peak became the 62nd win among a total of 168 for premiership leading trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson. 

“She looked terrific in the coat and it was a really good run to win, so well done to Ashley and Hunter,” Walker said.

“They’re two highly accomplished horse people, totally dedicated and professional, and we’re very fortunate to have them in the team. 

“They’ve helped manage the horses and staff for Sam and me in the South Island, and it’s all worked well to have that many wins from the stable there this season.”

Owned by the Fortuna Mitre Peak Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), she was purchased for A$60,000 by David Ellis CNZM/Fortuna Racing at the Inglis 2022 Classic Yearling Sale in Sydney. 

“My heart went into my mouth when she was slowly away,” Galvin said. “She seemed to travel well and on the corner I thought she was a chance to run in the money, but she really motored home down the straight.

“It ended up being a good watch because she showed a very good turn of foot, so very pleasing and she’s beaten a good field.

“We don’t think Mitre Peak is the full deal yet, because she still has quite a bit of furnishing, physically, to go. So for her to win a couple of races, as she’s done this time in, is very satisfying.

“It was reported to us that her work had been good leading up to the race, we couldn’t fault her, but there were a couple more favoured in betting that appeared quite hard to beat.

“We were confident that she was going to run well, but not completely convinced that she was going to beat the others. But in the end she did.

“We’ll see how she comes through it before making plans, but she will have to have a break at some stage.

“She’s been performing well on the synthetic track, but it would be good to see her race on the turf again, especially down there (Riccarton) on the roomier track.

“I think that in late summer and into the autumn she could really come into her own.”

Galvin had said previously: “We didn’t pay a lot of money for her, but she’s got a lovely pedigree,” 

“She was actually passed in at that sale, but with Mark’s (Walker) help he chased her and we managed to get her for the price she was passed in at, so it was good buying. 

From the last crop of world renowned sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo), with over 2000 winners, Mitre Peak is from Liten Prinsessa, by another worldwide acclaimed sire Bernardini (A. P. Indy).

Liten Prinsessa, winner of four races to 1400 metres in Australia, is a sister to Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winner and Champion Two-Year-Old Ruud Awakening, now the dam of Group Three winner Rise Of The Masses (Russian Revolution).

Both Liten Prinsessa and Ruud Awakening are out of Dawn Almighty (Danehill), dam of seven individual winners of 31 races, while the family includes dual Group Two winner Ruud Van Slaats (Van Nistelrooy), whose daughter Smashing (Pins) was trained by Te Akau to win six races and stakes place twice. 

Mitre Peak carries a Northern Dancer cross on the dam line of both Southern Halo and Liten Prinsessa. 

Walker added: “John (Galvin) and his owners have allowed us to be patient with this filly, but she’s now starting to string together some good performances.

“It was a really good win today because she stuck her neck out and tried very hard.”

Mitre Peak was strapped by Naomi Warrander.