Pukekohe Group Trial

Te Akau trailed Group 1 winners and performers at Pukekohe on Wednesday 23 February

Weather: fine, track: Dead4, rail: true.

Heat 1 Open 1000 metres - eligible for stakes performed horses - (½ head, long neck 58.5)

Sword of State (3 c Snitzel - In the Vanguard) - Leith Innes; was easy from the outside (4) to settle fourth of four, presented on straightening and picked up nicely to hold sway at the line.

Champion Two-Year-Old Sword of State was purchased by David Ellis CNZM at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale 2020, was bred by Sir Owen Glenn, and prepared by Newgate Farm.

The first runner and first winner for Te Akau 2020 Four Colt Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), blowing rivals away by six and a half lengths on debut over 1200 metres at Te Rapa, Sword of State has won five of nine starts, most recently the Almanzor Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Karaka Million night (22 Jan.) at Ellerslie, and topped $250k prize money.

Group 1 winner of Sistema Stakes (1200m), he is preparing to resume in the $100,000 King's Plate (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Derby Day (Saturday 5 March) at Ellerslie, and has standing rights at Cambridge Stud.

I Wish I Win (3 g Savabeel - Make A Wish) - Joe Kamaruddin; trailed on the inner, was in a pocket, came across heels 150m and closed strongly for second.

In training for Waikato Stud, I Wish I Win made immediate impact last season, winning on debut before finishing second to stable-mate On the Bubbles (below) in the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m). He ended his previous campaign in 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), November at Riccarton, and proved too good winning a 3YO 1200 metres on Wellington Cup Day (29 Jan.) at Trentham.

Champion trainer Jamie Richards said I Wish I Win would likely contest the $80,000 Mufhasa Fasttrack Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m) on NZ Derby Day (5 March) at Ellerslie, ahead of the $260,000 Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) on NZ Oaks Day (19 March) at Trentham.

Prise De Fer (6 g Savabeel - Foiled) - Niranjan Parmar; worked around to lead and the staying type he is, lifted well for third over the sprint trip.

Prise De Fer wound up late for fifth in the Thorndon Mile (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Wellington Cup Day (29 Jan.) at Trentham, having worked through with a big run for second in the Captain Cook Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 11 December at Te Rapa, and was a solid sixth in the Zabeel Classic (Gr. 1, 2000m) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie.

Three times Group 1 second and a Group 2 winner at 1600 metres, he was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $100,000, from draft of Trelawney Stud, at 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, and is owned by the Te Akau En Guarde Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). Seven times first and second, with $438,875 prize money.

Prise De Fer is preparing for the $70,000 Open 1500 metres on Derby Day (Saturday 5 March) at Ellerslie.

On The Bubbles (3 g Brazen Beau - More Bubbles) - Opie Bosson; was outside the leader turning in and was unpressured finishing a close at line, fourth.

Fifth of six consecutive Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winners for Te Akau, and second to stable-mate Sword of State (above) in title for Champion Two-Year-Old, On the Bubbles ended his ended two-year-old season by winning the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), and back in winning mode, taking out the Uncle Remus Stakes (Listed, 1400m), on Boxing Day at Ellerslie.

Purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $90,000 at 2020 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Leanach Lodge, and owned by the Te Akau Splash Of Dom Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), On the Bubbles has won five of nine starts and $814,450 prize money.

He is following path of stable-mate I Wish I Win (above): $80,000 Mufhasa Fasttrack Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m) on NZ Derby Day (5 March) at Ellerslie, ahead of the $260,000 Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) on NZ Oaks Day (19 March) at Trentham.

Jamie Richards said: “Sword of State relaxed nicely back in the field and finished off well, as did I Wish I Win.

“Prise De Fer is going to the Open 1500 metres at Ellerslie, a race he won last year. It was a tune up trial for that and we went forward on him, something different, to get his mind on the job.

“It was the usual sort of quiet outing from On the Bubbles, who doesn't over exert himself at the trials and saves his best for race day.”