New Season Beckons

New Zealand Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) winner Gingernuts (Iffraaj) is preparing well for a return to racing in the new season, which begins on 1 August.

“I don't think I've seen a horse improve as much as he did,” said co-trainer Stephen Autridge, regarding the meteoric rise of Gingernuts this year. “He went from battling away at the easier race meetings, Stratford and Te Teko, but as soon as we stepped him up over ground he found his niche and his confidence grew with it.

“He's put on forty-kilos with his spell at Te Akau Stud, unbelievable, and since he came back into work in May he's been bouncing around like a two-year-old. We're rapt with the way he's going and the way he looks - he has certainly improved.

“He's a horse that won the Avondale Guineas, our Derby, and the Rosehill Guineas and wasn't under any stress to win them so we wouldn't know what we've really got next season until we step him up against the best older horses.”

Autridge said that Gingernuts would more than likely have two trials before racing, the first of them scheduled for 1 August at Te Teko.

“We're thinking he could run on the last two days of the Hawkes Bay Carnival and then go for the Caulfield Cup, but at the same time we are at the stage of looking through Melbourne programs and we'll take into account the path that recent Caulfield Cup winners have taken.”

Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards took out the two richest races this season in New Zealand, with Gingernuts winning the $1 million Derby and Melody Belle (Commands) an equivalent amount in the Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m).

Melody Belle also won the $225,000 Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on home soil before her success in the $253,200 Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) in Brisbane, while Gingernuts added the $607,000 Rosehill Guineas (Gr. 1, 2000m) after his thrilling Derby victory.

Autridge said that Melody Belle and stable-mates that also campaigned in Brisbane: Splurge (Savabeel) and Zambezi Warrior (Pentire) were enjoying a good spell at Te Akau Stud, while Hall of Fame (Savabeel) and Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock) had just returned to work. Jimmy Rea (Thewayyouare) is spelling at Valachi Downs, and Rough Habit Plate (Gr. 3, 2000m) winner Shocking Luck (Shocking) passed his vet test for Hong Kong and departs on 28 August following a three week quarantine period in Sydney.

Autridge also commented on the progress of other horses in the stables:

Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) winner and Group One placed Gold Fever (Savabeel):
“She's matured and getting through a little bit of work. She's acting as if she's grown up and after trialling on 15 August at Te Rapa, providing we're happy enough, she'll contest the early season fillies races over 1200 metres”.

Griffin (Iffraaj), the brother of Gingernuts who impressively won his only start as a two-year-old:
“He's very strong and we're happy with him. He's scheduled to trial on 1 August at Te Teko, and will be ready early for the three-year-old races. We haven't decided as yet whether he's a horse we send to Christchurch, or keep him up here (North Island)”.

Fashionably (Redoute's Choice), the first foal of dual Group One winner Scarlett Lady (Savabeel), who spelled after finishing a creditable fifth in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m): “She has just come back into work, looks a lot stronger, and should be in for a good season on what she's shown us”.

Caulfield and Melbourne Cup nominee Chance to Dance (Teofilo): “He's put on weight and a pleasure to have around the stables - a true gentleman - and as a top weight horse (rated 101) we'll be looking at weight-for-age events during the Hawkes Bay Carnival, and providing he's going well he could end up racing in Australia”.

New Zealand Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m) candidate Imperium (Encosta De Lago), who finished third in the race last year: “He had a decent break, looks good and acting as though he's continued to grow up. He's nice and fresh”.

Chambord (Zabeel), a multiple stakes performer: “He's back and very happy to be back. He looks tremendous. He's rated 90, so only one win away from having plenty of weight in handicaps. Depending how he goes, we'll have to be prepared for early season weight-for-age opportunities.”

Another multiple stakes performer, Princess Davone (Iffraaj): “She'll trial on 15 August at Te Rapa. We've always thought she could win a stakes races; she deserves to. She's had a break, looks good, so she has to be given the opportunity”.

Summer Monsoon (Stratum), a stakes placed winner from a handful of starts at two: “He's on the step up in his work and aiming at the first set of Te Teko trials on 1 August. He shows the right promise for his three-year-old season”.

Grazia (Savabeel), a staying mare of promise that won two of her last three starts: “She spelled very well at Te Akau Stud, and is coming up in training better than ever. She is being aimed towards a stakes' race during the cup carnival in November at Christchurch”.

Astrid (Pins) is another that raced well before spelling, winning two of her last four starts: “She looks good and nice and strong. She's got a great attitude and if she strikes the right track conditions she's always a winning chance”.

Scrutinize (Savabeel), stakes placed at three: “He's just arrived back after having twelve months off and we hope that we can hold him together because he's very good at best”.

A vast majority of the horses mentioned above, and all below, were purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis, who thirty-six years after Cosmetique (Barcas) provided his first Group One win still gets excited about the prospect of each new season.

“It's a terrific time of year,” Ellis said. “All the horses are increasing their paces in training and once they've trialled in August we will see the stable stars return to racing and the emergence of some exciting new talent as well.

“It takes time for the tracks to come right and a few months before we get any real consistency, but Steve and Jamie will pick and choose the right options for the horses and let's hope we can have another season as good as this one.

“It's been a vintage season. Steve and Jamie have trained horses to win races in the North Island, South Island, Melbourne, Sydney, and recently in Brisbane. It's been a fantastic team effort and I'm just so proud of all the team that have worked so hard to put the show on.”

Ten Group and Listed victories see the training partners leading the premiership for stakes this season, with just under $3 million, and along with aspirants already mentioned to kick things off for 2017-18 Autridge selected a few rising two-year-olds to keep an eye on.

“We've got a couple of colts, Al Hasa (Exceed and Excel) and Willpower (Power), that look possible early standouts,” he said. “And the fillies, there's Jackie Cochran (I Am Invincible) and Avantage (Fastnet Rock).

“Those four are back for the second time at the stables, and there are plenty that we've broken in that we've liked and when they come back they could step up straightaway too.

“July is one of the months that I like the best in racing. Getting the horses ready to trial at Te Teko, because you just never know exactly what you've got. We do know that we've got plenty of talented horses and we just can't wait to get them there.

“We've got plenty to look forward to and it's that time of the year that you just want the right conditions, which is not easy to organize. We've got two lots of trial meetings scheduled in August at Te Teko, the second one on the 29th, so if we want to go quietly, with a month in between, it's then closer to the spring weather.”

In the recently released 2016-17 New Zealand Horse of the Year awards finalists, to be announced at a gala dinner in Auckland, at the Langham Hotel, on Sunday 10 September, Te Akau has a strong hand.

Gingernuts leads the way as a finalist for both Champion Three-Year-Old and Champion Stayer, while Melody Belle and Gold Fever are two of three finalists for Champion Two-Year-Old. All finalists are also eligible to become NZ Horse of the Year. All three were selected and purchased by David Ellis.