Ristretto = Strong, Bold, Intense

Ristretto (2 f Makfi - Espresso Cavallo, by Lonhro) became the ninth individual two-year-old winner this season for Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, with a polished display on debut in the $10,000 Comcat Maiden 2YO 1100 metres on 5 April at New Plymouth.

Having displayed gate speed and plenty of talent to win her two trials with consummate ease, Ristretto was a readymade favourite ($1.80) and provided few nervous moments for punters and connections alike.

Away from barrier six at a rate of knots to cross and lead for Shafiq, Ristretto was held together, travelling well, railed nicely around the home bend and responded positively for a tidy victory.

Commentator Tony Lee summed up the win, saying: “It's very honest this one, really willing down to the line, stretching, and too good in the finish. She had to find a bit under pressure late, but did.” Just like the coffee she is named after - strong, bold and intense.

On ideal Dead4 ground, Ristretto ran the 1100 metres in 1:05.0 and last 600m in 35.5.

Te Akau principal David Ellis was commissioned by recent mother Julia Rose-Ellis to buy a horse from the 2017 Ready to Run Sale - having already bought stakes' placed Gris Dame (Reliable Man) for the Te Akau Double Trouble Syndicate that she manages from that sale in 2016.  He purchased Ristretto for $115,000 at the sale from the draft of Westbury Stud, for owners in the Te Akau Double Shot Syndicate.

“It doesn't matter how many winners you've had, you never get sick of winning a race and I'm delighted for Julia-Rose who manages the filly and she has a lot of her friends involved,” Ellis said.

“She asked me to buy a really nice filly for her at the Ready to Run Sale and this is the filly I chose. The next day I had five people ring me wanting to buy the filly outright, but I said she was being syndicated by Julia-Rose and it's a big thrill to see her win like she did.

“She used a bit of petrol to get across and onto the fence, but she had them well covered on the line and she will learn a lot from that race. Her gate speed is such an asset when you think how many races are won by horses that position in the first three or four.

“She's got a nice pedigree, has the ability to win black type and make a really nice broodmare in years to come. She was a late November foal and when I bought her I remember thinking she may not be mature enough to win a two-year-old race, so it's a bonus, and Steve and Jamie have done a hell of good job for her to be unbeaten at the trials and now on race day.”

Her sire, Makfi (Dubawi), was a British bred, French trained, 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner, while Lonhro (Octagonal), the dam sire, was a remarkable racehorse in Australia: Champion Three-Year-Old, Champion Miler, and Horse of the Year, winning 26 of his 35 starts. He is a son of Octagonal (Zabeel), himself a Champion Two & Three-Year-Old and Australian Horse of the Year.

With regards three-year-old filly Gris Dame, Ellis said: “I also bought her for Julia-Rose and she ran a great race for third in the Eight Carat Stakes and also finished fifth in the Royal Stakes. She's spelling here (Te Akau Stud) at the moment and I think she'll develop into a really nice stakes' winning mare in her four-year-old season.”

When contacted, Ellis was preparing for a trip to Sydney.

“I'm heading off in the morning to Sydney, where I'll be at Royal Randwick on Saturday to watch Mongolianconqueror in the Australian Derby, and then concentrating on the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale which starts on Monday,” he said.

“Jamie (Richards) has inspected all the horses and we're going to try and buy one or two over there, to add to the stable.”

Ristretto was strapped by Mason Stevens.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz