Second Stable Win - Sentimental Day

The second of Te Akau's Ashburton wins on Saturday saw a huge effort from a son of Ethereal - Imperium (Encosta de Lago) overcame all sorts of challenges in the running to score on a truly sentimental day.  It was 15 years ago that Imperium's mum won the Group 1 Caulfield Cup - of course also staged today ... from Australia to Ashburton ...

A fortnight ago at Riccarton Imperium (5 g Encosta De Lago - Ethereal, by Rhythm) indicated with the strength of his effort that a winning turn was imminent and, following a few nervous moments, he got the job done on Saturday at Ashburton.

When last presented, Imperium was sent forward early to sit second and only yielded by a neck at the line in his first start over ground this time in.

With the benefit of the run, and third up in this preparation, he was strongly supported in the market and closed off a commanding $3.10 & $1.50 favourite in the $20,000 Premier Equine Vets Rating 65 2100 metres.

But the win proved far more than a formality, as jockey Matt Cameron had to give him a reminder early on, reverted to urging at the 800m, and it was well into the straight before he got Imperium wound up to win with a well timed finish.

He was going away over the concluding by a three-quarter length margin, in 2:12.6 for the 2100 metres, and the performance saw him shorten in the fixed odds market to $21.00 for the $250,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m) on November 12 at Riccarton.

Franking the form, Bloodstream (Duelled), who proved his nemesis at Riccarton, stepped out in the following race (Rating 85 2100m) which resulted in him winning easily by three lengths.

“It was very good to see him back in winning form, after a good run last start,” said Jamie Richards, who trains the horse with Stephen Autridge.

“It didn't make it easy for Matt (Cameron), but he looks as though he will keep improving the further he goes and he's in great order. It was terrific to see some of his owners here on course and the win follows up some very good work in training at Riccarton."

Richards suggested that Imperium now had good levels of race fitness and in order to keep speed in his legs would not be over exerted in training ahead of his next assignment.

Imperium had caught the eye of Te Akau principal David Ellis at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sales and he outlaid $425,000 for the colt from the Pencarrow Stud draft, before offering him as part of the Te Akau 2013 Breeding Syndicate.

His dam Ethereal, from Romanee Conti (Sir Tristram), bred and raced 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 (HK1, 1800m) in 1993, on good to yielding ground, in one of five stakes victories.

Of note, Ethereal was also to the fore in Melbourne, when, earlier in the day, her granddaughter, Eleonora (Makfi), fittingly took out the New Zealand Bloodstock Ethereal Stakes (Gr. 3, 2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day.

The win capped a good meeting for Te Akau, with Tavis Star winning earlier on the programme and Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock) and O'Naturelle (O'Reilly) finishing second and sixth, respectively, in the $50,000 Barneswood Farm Stakes (Listed, 1400m).

Imperium was strapped by Jamie Richards.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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