Pinultimate Perfect on Debut

The second of the winning Tauranga duo came with a promising 3YO Pins filly who rewarded her owners' patience with aplomb on debut ...

There is little better than winning on debut and Pinultimate (3 f Pins - Lost In Dubai, by Dubai Destination) enhanced the experience for the Te Akau Pinultimate Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) when racing away to win by four lengths on 19 October at Tauranga.

Sent forward to co-lead a solid pace in the $10,000 Phoenix Tauranga Maiden 1200 metres, Pinultimate raced freely under jockey Matt Cameron. She looked to have the measure of her rivals turning for home, pinned her ears back and it was all over bar the shouting.

“It's great for the owners when a horse wins on debut,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis, who purchased the filly as yearling for $36,000, from the draft of Monovale Farm, at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale.

“It shows that the horse has been really well prepared by Jamie (Richards) and all the staff, and it's not easy to do, to see a horse win its first start by such a big margin and I was thrilled for the owners.

“Joe and Max Smithies at Monovale have done an outstanding job, running their family business, especially after losing their wonderful father Paul. They're two young guys that I think will go to the top in breeding. We've bought some very good horses off them over the years. They breed good, sound, horses and they're great people to deal with and train for, and it looks like we've bought another good horse from them.

“The filly was ridden confidently by Matt Cameron and it was great to see him ride yet another winner in the tangerine.”

On footing upgraded to Good3, Pinultimate ran the 1200 metres on 1:11.8 and well supported in betting, she paid $6.00 & $2.15 fixed odds and $5.50 & $2.30 on the tote.

Pinultimate had finished strongly for third to subsequent dual winning stable-mate Our Flying Ace (Darci Brahma) when trialling over 1010 metres in August at Te Teko, and pleased the trainer in her lead up to racing.

“It was a good win by Pinultimate and I thought it was a really good ride by Matt (Cameron), who took the race by the scruff of the neck, taking up the lead, where on speed had been the place to be,” Richards said. “She probably travelled keenly enough, but found a great kick.

“She's a filly that jumped out well last week with a couple of nice horses and while it makes it tricky at times to get a line on horses when trialling on softer ground at Te Teko, she appreciated the better track conditions today.

“By no means an easy filly to train, she has a few quirks, and big thanks to the team that look after her and got her right in terms of travelling on the truck and using the treadmill, and she's a filly that's certainly open to improvement.

“I think if we place her right she can win again in the near future.

“It was also really pleasing for Joe and Max Smithies who bred her and retained a share, so well done to them, and all the owners, and they have also sent us her half-sister by Ocean Park to train.”

The fourth individual winner from Lost in Dubai, a 1200-metre winner from a handful of starts in Australia, whose progeny have won 14 races, Pinultimate is a half-sister to Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) runner-up Star Treasure (Lonhro), from the family of 2016 Karaka Million winner Xiong Feng (Iffraaj) and triple Group One winner of the Cox Plate, Orr Stakes, and Yalumba Stakes, Maldivian (Zabeel).

“We've got a big weekend coming up, with some nice chances on Saturday at Ashburton,” Ellis said. “Paul Richards is very happy with the way the team is going and he's obviously doing a fantastic job from our Riccarton stables, with Mason Stevens.

“It an exciting time of the year coming up and we've got some really nice horses to race.”

Pinultimate was strapped by Diego Steele.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz