Reflections on Te Teko
31 August, 2016
We reflect on a few of the runners that trialled on 25 August at Te Teko.
Showery and Slow9, rail out 8 metres, 15mls rain overnight.
Heat 1: Away smartly Affinee (4 m Exceed and Excel - Household) - M. McNab - was held together in the trail. It was a quiet exhibition in the fastest (1:04.0) of three Open heats over 1030 metres, and her maturity between ages three and four appeared evident.
A winner on debut, over 1000 metres on good footing, Affinee was purchased by David Ellis for $120,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm, and owned by the Te Akau Affinee Syndicate.
She is naturally athletic and possesses plenty of speed.
Heat 2: Madame Jamai (5 m Minstrel Court - Palais Jamai) - J. Fawcett - was let stride forward to co-lead on the outer and finished a close third under her own steam over 1030 metres.
Bred and owned by Barry & Deidre Neville-White, Madame Jamai has a terrific record in the south: three wins at Riccarton, and two at Timaru.
Staying horse Amperage (4 g Zabeel - Miss Zapper) - C. Lammas - was a distant last at the 600m before working through the line solidly in an ideal conditioning run.
A winner for the Te Akau 2014 Cups' Syndicate over 2100 metres in 2:11.3, last 600m in 35.9, Amperage was purchased by David Ellis for $150,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm.
Ellis also bought his half-sister Zip Zap, by Stravinsky (Nureyev) for $75,000 the following year at Karaka.
Heat 3: From last on the inner, Echezeaux (5 m Encosta De Lago - Grand Echezeaux) - M. McNab - turned in an eye-catching trial over 1030 metres to level peg for second. The rider was unmoved, to signal what could be a fruitful campaign for the Sir Peter Vela bred and owned staying mare.
Off a rating of 69, with two wins up to 2100m from only seven starts, Echezeaux has what it takes to realise a cups' campaign.
Regarded as a Blue Hen mare, the highest accolade afforded to broodmares, Grand Echezeaux is also the dam of Darci Brahma (Danehill), Saperavi (Stravinsky) and Burgundy (Redoute's Choice), from a line that produced Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal (Rhythm).
Heat 4: From last, Sassy ‘N' Smart (3 f Smart Missile - Panorama Ridge) - M. McNab - made good progress early in the straight to range in behind the leading division, before being allowed to button off in the 3YO 1030 metres (1:03.9).
Having closed well when trialling here on 2 August, the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) winner and runner up in the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) requires better going to show her best.
The filly was purchased by David Ellis for $150,000 at the Inglis Sydney Easter Sale, from the draft of Arrowfield Stud, and owned by the Te Akau Sassy ‘N' Smart Syndicate.
Heat 5: In the fastest (1:16.2) of two Open heats over 1200 metres, behind multiple stakes' winner Rasa Lila (Darci Brahma), Imperium (5 g Encosta De Lago - Ethereal) - C. Lammas - was given a good hit out on the pace before finishing close up in the minors (4th) and with two trials under his belt looks ready to race.
His dam Ethereal, from Romanee Conti (Sir Tristram), bred and owned by Sir Peter & Philip Vela and trained by Sheila Laxon, became a household name when winning the 2001 Melbourne Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m). With additional Group One wins in the Queensland Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m), Caulfield Cup (Gr. 1, 2400m) and BMW (Gr. 1, 2400m), Ethereal amassed earnings of over $6 million with eight wins from twenty-one starts. Furthermore, his grand-dam Romanee Conti won the Hong Kong International Cup (Gr. 1, 1800m) in 1993, on good to yielding ground, in one of five stakes victories.
David Ellis purchased Imperium for $425,000 from the Pencarrow Stud draft, before offering him as part of the Te Akau 2013 Breeding Syndicate.
Heat 6: Having his second trial this time in, over 1200 metres, Zambezi Warrior (4 g Pentire - Zambezi) - M. McNab - settled last of five before rocking into it from the 600m and finished second with the rider unmoved.
Having won impressively over a mile and 2100 metres as a three-year-old, Zambezi Warrior had the quality to be stakes placed in the Championship Stakes (Gr. 2, 2100m) at the end of his previous campaign and shapes as an exciting prospect.
Zambezi Warrior was purchased by David Ellis for $75,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, for the Te Akau 2014 Cups' Syndicate, from the draft of Goodwood Stud.
Heat 7: Behind the pace in an earnestly run 2YO 630 metres, Gold Fever (2 f Savabeel - Gold Rocks) - C. Lammas - and Swing Note (2 f Encosta De Lago - Andallthatjazz) - M. McNab - rounded off solidly to finish on terms in third and fourth respectively, each having their first trial outing.
Owned by the Te Akau Gold Fever Syndicate, the filly was purchased by David Ellis for $110,000, from the draft of Sledmere Stud, at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
From the same sale, Ellis bought Swing Note for $60,000, from Turangga Farm, and she is owned by the Te Akau Jazz Syndicate.
Maiden 3YO 820 metres:
Heat 9: As he had done previously, Shocking Luck (3 g Shocking - Shamardal Luck) - C. Lammas - got back in running and was seen doing his best work through the line, in the fastest (50.3) of the Maiden 3YO 820-metre heats.
Heat 10: Stolen Love (3 f Savabeel - Steal) - M. McNab - rounded off solidly for fourth and looked good through the line in her first trial. This filly is another David Ellis purchase from Karaka.
Heat 12: 3 c Savabeel - Pins on Ice - C. Lammas - travelled wide throughout and kept finding the line.
Maiden 3YO 1030 metres:
Heat 16: Having his first trial this time in, Wide Awake (3 g Savabeel - Kay's Awake) - M. McNab - raced between horses at the rear, but presented widest on straightening he unwound stylishly to win by three lengths in the fastest (1:06.6) of the Maiden 3YO 1030-metre heats.
Lucy Wyldstyle (3 f Savabeel - Lego) - C. Lammas - showed further improvement since finishing fourth when trialling here on Aug. 2, placing second after racing on the pace.
Both 3YOs were Karaka Premier Sale purchases by David Ellis.
Heat 17: O'Reilly Star (3 g O'Reilly - Starbelly) - C. Lammas - worked forward to camp on the leaders and stretched out nicely for second - another graduate from Karaka purchased by David Ellis as is ...
Beaumarchais (3 g Savabeel - Almaviva) - M. McNab - was caught in the worst of the going on the inside, yet still produced a notable performance when held together in fifth.
Heat 18: Ocean Rock (3 g Fastnet Rock - Ocean Pearl) - C. Lammas - was sent forward to co-lead on the inner before finishing fourth, and Dame Margo Fonteyn (3 f High Chaparral - Dancing Forever) - M. McNab - tracked the widest path and was not asked to do much in the straight for fifth for the Fortuna team.
Heat 19: Tiffany's Time (3 f Alamosa - Tinsel Time) - J. Fawcett - travelled handily on the inner and never flinched to win well, over stable-mate Discretely Red (3 g Redwood - Scarlet Queen) - C. Lammas - who stayed near the rail throughout. Two promising David Ellis purchases from Karaka.
Heat 20: Unfazed (3 f Zabeel - Faze) - C. Lammas - the last Zabeel, worked forward to second at the 800m, led under a hold rounding the home bend and kept up a strong gallop wide on the track to win for her breeder owners Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan.
King Kane (3 g Showcasing - Vannista Belle) - M. McNab - was last and five lengths from the leader at the 600m before making plenty of ground to finish on the heels of the first four for the Vermair Racing team.
Maiden 4YO & Up 1030 metres:
Heat 21: Paradise Rock (4 g Fastnet Rock - Apple Charlotte) - C. Lammas - settled off the pace in sixth, unwinding powerfully on the outside to win easily by two and a half lengths.