Real Beel, Real Deal

A blue blood filly, The Real Beel (2 f Savabeel - Ahna, by O'Reilly) gave first time owners Wayne and Jo-Ann Phillips a huge thrill when winning on debut at New Plymouth.

“We'd like to extend congratulations to Wayne and Jo-Ann,” said co-trainer Jamie Richards.

“Dave (Ellis) bought this filly for them at Karaka, and she's their first horse, so well done having a winner with their first runner.”

In the $10,000 Heatcool Maiden 2YO 1000 metres, a race won last year by debutante stable-mate Nucleonic (Burgundy), the filly from the famous Eight Carat (Pieces of Eight) family showed speed to lead from the outside barrier (7) for rider Cameron Lammas, travelled best around the home turn and displayed classy attributes when slipping two lengths clear inside the final 200m.

Returning $2.30 & $1.80 on the NZ TAB tote, The Real Beel ran the 1000 metres in 58.7 and last 600m in 34.5.

The Real Beel became the sixth individual two-year-old winner this season for trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, and joins stable-mates Al Hasa (Exceed and Excel), Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Sword of Osman (Savabeel), Pinot Grey (Burgundy), Irish Cream (O'Reilly), and Dublin Rose (O'Reilly), as contenders for a $1m Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) berth on 27 January at Ellerslie.

She was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $110,000, from the draft of Waikato Stud, at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

“You just cannot get a better pedigree than this,” Ellis said. “The stallions produced on the dam side are of the highest order and she is a beautiful filly.”

Being from the same family as champion three-year-old, Cox Plate winner, and Australian Horse of the Year Octagonal (Zabeel), stallion Kaapstad (Sir Tristram), hugely talented Group One sprinter Diamond Lover (Sticks and Stones), and having the nine time winner Marquise (Gold and Ivory) as her third dam, ensured tremendous residual value even before she delivered winning strides on the race track.

“She has that unbelievable Savabeel/O'Reilly cross,” Ellis said. “She's the second foal from the mare and I bought the first foal at the Ready to Run Sale and he's been a winner in Singapore.

“The Real Beel was only average size when I inspected her as a yearling, but had good class and quality, had a great walk, and was on the list to be looked at more than once.

“And of course her fourth dam, Eight Carat, had the Eight Carat Stakes named after her which was raced yesterday at Ellerslie (Te Akau trained Gris Dame [Reliable Man] finishing a close third).

“I'm absolutely thrilled for Wayne and Jo-Ann. It's so exciting for their first horse to win and they've got quite a few others with Te Akau to look forward to.”

The Real Beel had won her only trial, in October at Waipa, quickening to an advantage off a competitive pace and strong through the line, and pleased in training since.

“We've really liked her at home and her trial was good,” Richards said. “Danielle (Johnson) put a bit of a wrap on her and Opie (Bosson) jumped her out last week, so everything went the right way.

“She'll take natural improvement out of the race, not having trialled for a little while. We're running against the clock for the Karaka Million, but we'll have a throw at the stumps,” he said.

Wayne Phillips said: “It's the first time we've got involved in the racing industry and The Real Beel is our first horse to the races. She did it quite comfortably, so that's very good and hopefully there's plenty more to come from her.

“Jamie and Steve have had a wrap on her and the win today is testament to their knowledge. It was a lovely introduction.

“I've always had a passion for racehorses, generally just having a punt, but we're developers that have worked hard over a number of years and we've got involved with horse ownership to get a break from work and business.

“Bruce Proudfoot, from the TAB in Bay of Plenty, recommended us to David (Ellis) and Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) and over lunch out at Te Akau Stud we bought four horses earlier in the year. And we got involved in another four horses at the Ready to Run Sale in November.

“We own a couple outright, including this filly, and otherwise have differing shares in horses earmarked to stay here and also go up and race with Mark (Walker) in Singapore.

“After doing some research, we were quite comfortable putting our investment with Te Akau. It's not an industry we know the ins and outs, but we've got a fair bit of confidence in Dave and Te Akau Racing.

“It's a promising start and we are really excited, so far, and happy with what everyone at Te Akau has done for us.

“The communications are really good. We get all the updates via email: when they're having jump outs, or trials, how they're working, if they're going to spell, and Dave is always available on the phone if we need him.”

Stable-mate Handsome Rebel (Denman) also produced a notable debut performance to finish third in the race.

“He's taken a bit of time to work out what it's all about, but glad to see him off the bit, chasing, and run through the line, and 1200m next time should suit him,” Richards said.

The win by The Real Beel followed a terrific win by Age of Fire (Fastnet Rock) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie, a couple of days after Sword of Osman (Savabeel) and Splurge (Savabeel) had won at Awapuni.

“The stable is having a super run with the two-year-olds, and all the horses for that matter, and Steve and Jamie and all the team are doing a great job through a busy time of Christmas and New Year racing,” Ellis said.

The Real Beel was strapped by Mason Stevens.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz