Paris Perfection

Treaty Of Paris (4 g Tavistock – Echezeaux, by Encosta de Lago) won his Maiden by more than seven lengths and it was similar again when winning the $17,000 Cavell Leitch Rating 65 & Jumpers 2200 metres on 26 July at Riccarton.

A recent course/distance winner in the Rating 75 2200 metres on the poly track, following victory in March over 2100 metres at Pukekohe, Treaty Of Paris was looking to bounce back after being without his usual zest when finishing eighth in the Rating 65 & Jumpers 2200 metres on 4 July at Ashburton.

Back in grade, although carrying top weight (61kg), Treaty Of Paris was able to secure a perfect trail from barrier three, was off the rail to lead under Te Akau apprentice Niranjan Parmar nearing the 600m, and proceeded to race away for victory by six and a half lengths. 

Importantly, the victory took the Te Akau apprentice to 50 wins for the season, which ties him with apprentice Lily Sutherland.  The battle for apprentice season honours is going right down to the wire.

Treaty Of Paris ran 2200 metres in 2:15.7 on the poly track, and paid $4.20 & $1.75 as fixed odds race favourite on the NZ TAB. 

Recording win number five, it further enhanced his poly track stats to four wins from seven starts, and the manner in which he won suggests plenty more to come next season as a five-year-old.

“It was a really strong win and a super ride of Parmar’s,” said Mark Walker, who trains with Sam Bergerson.

“The winning of the race was when he popped off the fence at the 600m, then got him rolling and once he got a break on them he’s the sort of horse that will take even more confidence from that performance.

“It’s been a truly great effort by Hunter Durrant and all our team of staff this season at Riccarton, and we’re really proud of their achievements.”

Among a current total of 169 wins this season for Walker & Bergerson, 63 have emanated from the Te Akau stable at Riccarton, which included seven stakes' wins, and a strike rate of 4.4.

“The South Island stable has been running hot all season,” Walker added. 

“It’s been great to develop some of the younger horses we send down there, and also a horse like Treaty Of Paris can keep their confidence high by getting regular wins on the board.

“Gaining the confidence with a horse is a big thing, giving them a winning feeling, and it just lifts them as it does with people in all sports as well.

“The win also took the stable through the $8 million mark in stakes money this season, and that's a truly remarkable result for Sam (Bergerson) in his first season of training to also have recorded the second highest win tally (169) in New Zealand racing history.

“He has not missed a beat all season, been outstanding to work with, and he continues to develop in the training role all the time.

“It’s also a great result for our assistant trainer Nicole Shailer, having her first season in the role, after managing the barns so well previously for us at Matamata.

“She’s not only a top horsewoman, Nicole, but she’s fantastic at teaching and helps develop and mentor young staff, and brings them through to the next level.

“The drive she has to get the best out of people has definitely contributed to us training extra winners.

“And, Reece Trumper, our racing manager, has settled into to his second season in the role with a lot more experience. 

“Reece has been instrumental in making strategic jockey bookings, working with all our owners, and also been an integral part of our selecting, buying, and syndication team. 

“Dave, Karyn, and I could not be happier with the team of staff and horses we have around us and we’re now really looking forward to the 2024/25 racing season in both New Zealand and Australia.”

Treaty Of Paris was purchased as a yearling by David Ellis CNZM at the 2021 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Pencarrow Stud, and is owned by Te Akau Treaty Of Paris Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). 

Having plenty of experience with the family, not only did Te Akau train the dam, Echezeaux, a stakes' placed winner of four races from 1600m – 2100m, but Ellis also bought both five-time Group One winning Champion Sire Darci Brahma (Danehill), and five-time stakes winning stallion Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice).

Regarded as a Blue Hen mare, the highest accolade afforded to broodmares, grand-dam Grand Echezeaux is the dam of stallions Darci Brahma (Danehill), Saperavi (Stravinsky), and Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice), from a line that produced Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal (Rhythm) to win $6 million in stakes and become the pride and joy of owner/breeder Sir Peter Vela.

“It’s the family of Darci Brahma and Burgundy, which we bought and trained, and each of them became notable sires, especially Darci Brahma, while unfortunately Burgundy has his career cut short, just when he was starting to take off,” Ellis said.

“It’s good to see Treaty Of Paris bounce back and win like he did, and I can see him developing into a Cups' type.”

Last season Mark Walker set a domestic record-breaking 203 wins and $8.25 million in stakes' money, so for Walker and Bergerson to again break through the $8 million ceiling in New Zealand alone with 169 wins is another outstanding result.

Added to the success in New Zealand, Walker also steered the Te Akau stable at Cranbourne (Victoria) to win NZ$7.6 million in stake money in just ten months.  Assistant trainer Ben Gleeson and our Victorian team can also be very proud of their achievements.

“I’m so proud of Mark and Sam, especially in his first season of training, to train the second highest number of wins this country has ever seen, and the prize money combined is in excess of $16 million if you also add our Singapore stable results,” Ellis added.

“We’ve had a fantastic season in every way and having our first full-time seasons from the stables at Riccarton and Cranbourne in 2024/25 just opens up far more opportunities for our owners and their horses.

“We’ve had 30 stakes' wins among nearly 200 wins overall between New Zealand and Australia this season, and the horses are building fitness really well ahead of getting the new season underway.”

Treaty Of Paris was strapped by Amelia Southworth. 

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