Pinultimate Wins Perfectly

Continuing her strong form, Pinultimate   (3 f Pins - Lost In Dubai, by Dubai Destination) made it three wins from four starts with an impressive victory in the $10,000 PGG Wrightson 3YO 1200 metres on 8 May at Matamata. 

Purchased as a yearling by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $36,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale, from the draft of Monovale Farm, Pinultimate won on debut by four lengths in October at Tauranga, and spelled after winning her next start at Otaki, both over 1200 metres. 

She resumed with a notable effort for fifth when meeting a smart field in the 3YO 1200 metres on 14 April at Te Rapa, and on Wednesday led home a Te Akau quinella with Willpower (Power) finishing second.

In similar fashion to her debut win, and again with Matt Cameron in the saddle, Pinultimate dictated terms in front after beginning smartly and quickening home in 34.1 from the 600m made it difficult for her rivals to close the gap.

Owned by the Te Akau Pinultimate Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), comprising owners also in Willpower, Pinultimate won by three and a half lengths in 1:10.9 for the 1200 metres and hotly supported she returned $1.60 & $1.40 on the NZ TAB. 

“It mapped like there wasn't going to be a lot of pace in the race and she's got plenty of natural speed and ability so it worked out well,” said trainer Jamie Richards. 

Following her fresh-up fifth, Richards gave consideration to contesting the Cambridge Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m). 

“It came up a very strong race, so we elected to wait and she has got upside for next season as well,” he said.

“She's a nice filly that Dave (Ellis) bought off Monovale, nice and cheaply out of the K2 sale, and Joe and Max are here and they retain a share in the ownership so it's good for them too.

“Willpower is a fair horse too and probably just hasn't got the tactical speed, but he'll continue to improve with a bit more time. He could be one for next season, so keep and eye on him.”

David Ellis said: “You never tire of winning races and getting the quinella is even better still. She's a filly that I syndicated amongst a really good group of owners and they're going to have a lot of fun. 

“I can see her going on next season to race in stakes' races and winning three from four already suggests she can get black type. 

“Joe and Max Smithies at Monovale have done an outstanding job running their family business. They're two young guys who 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. His strike rate for us this season has been quite incredible.”

Ellis also commented on happenings at Te Akau.

“It's an exciting week,” he said. “We've got Mongolianconqueror in the Chairman's Handicap in Brisbane on Saturday. Mark (Walker) extended his lead in the premiership in Singapore at the weekend, so a really successful week for the stables. 

“We're starting to see some of our really good horses return to training for the Spring. Melody Belle, Te Akau Shark, and Sword of Osman are back in work and more coming in next week.

“Our focus now is towards next season, but it's still nice to get a quinella on the home track and we've got some other nice horses that are winning chances in the remainder of this season. Jamie is closing in 100 wins for the season, so everything is going very well.”

The fourth individual winner from Lost in Dubai, a 1200-metre winner from a handful of starts in Australia, whose progeny have won 16 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).  

Pinultimate was strapped by Ashley Handley.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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