Reflection on a Huge Te Akau NZ Weekend

The Informant writes:

Xtravagant brought back memories of his well-performed brother when he scored an effortless win at Trentham on Saturday that earned him equal 2000 Guineas favouritism.

Matt Cameron was a regular rider for the enormously talented He's Remarkable, and he said he was struck by the similarities as he rode younger brother Xtravagant to a stunning victory in the NZTBA Wellington Branch Guineas trial.

“I rode He's Remarkable a lot when he was a three-year-old, and at this point of their careers they're identical in many ways,” Cameron said.

He's Remarkable finished a close second to Jimmy Choux in the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, and the Riccarton classic is firmly on Xtravagant's agenda after today's romp.

“He needed to win and win nicely today to warrant a trip to the 2000 Guineas and he's done that,” Cameron said.

Xtravagant was cruising in behind the leader Dubaiinstyle before taking over in the straight and dashing clear. He was eased down in the last 50 metres and crossed the finish line with his ears pricked, two and a quarter lengths ahead of Dubaiinstyle and a late-finishing Liapari.

“He was loving it out there today,” Cameron said. “He was just cruising, he was off the bit most of the way. He still does a few things wrong but the penny's just starting to drop with him now. He's a beautiful horse.”

Trained by Te Akau's Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Xtravagant has now had four starts for two wins and a placing. He won by seven lengths on debut at Hastings, then resumed with an unplaced finish in the Northland Breeders' Stakes at Ruakaka before a good third in rain-affected ground at Te Rapa.

A son of Pentire and the Zabeel mare Axiom, Xtravagant was bought for $375,000 by Te Akau's David Ellis at the 2014 Premier Yearling Sale.

Xtravagant's 2000 Guineas odds dropped from $18 to $5 after today's performance, taking an equal share of favouritism with his stablemate Scrutinize. Cameron rode Scrutinize to his last-start second placing in the Gr. 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas and will be aboard again Monday's Gr. 2 Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa. He could face a difficult decision come Guineas day.