She Gives Us Fever

A filly tipped out by Te Akau track work rider and jockey Cameron Lammas, Gold Fever (2 f Savabeel - Gold Rocks, by Oratorio) made a perfect start to her racing career with a dominant three and a half length win on Sunday at Te Rapa.

“She's going well, isn't she,” said co-trainer Jamie Richards to Lammas, on dismounting, to which he replied with a smile, “I did tell you that ages ago”.

“When he tips one out he's not far wrong,” added Richards, to owners that had gathered around.

“Awhile back when DC (David Ellis) was at the stables he asked me which was the best two-year-old I'd ridden lately and I told him Gold Fever,” Lammas said.

“I quite liked her because she's got a bit of attitude about her. A bit of guts about her, she's like a naughty little pony and gets quite angry if you tell her off,” he said with a giggle.

“I rode her in gallops and in her two trials, which were both nice trials without over-exerting her and she's just continued to improve.

“She can get a bit hot, so I've ridden her cold at the trials and today, well I knew what I had but was just hoping that she would let down."

Third and three wide in a field of only six for the Wentwood Grange Juvenile, Gold Fever went forward to level at the 600m, travelled best when quickening to lead at the 400m and drew clear over the final furlong.

On near perfect Dead4 footing, Gold Fever ran the 1000 metres in 1:01, last 600m in 36.0, and paid $3.90 & $2.00.

“We didn't have the best of runs, either,” Lammas said.

“She was stuck wide, pushed wider around the home bend but she's gutsy and just kept giving and I only had to ride her hands and heels.  Two-year-olds you don't really need to hit. She wanted to run, was running, and had I hit her I don't think she would have found much more.

“She's a natural runner; loves to run and she'll improve on that too.  She still did a few things wrong, like lugging in the straight but had something challenged her she would have found more. She's tough and has that real Savabeel attitude.

“Her half-sister (Gold Rush, by So You Think) won the (Matamata) Breeders' Stakes and she (Gold Fever) would almost be a bit bigger than her.

“She's not massive, but has grit and will give everything each time."

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 - and carries a Waikato Stud brand.

“When you start two-year-olds, it's all about education,” Ellis said.

“We've now got a one-hundred percent record with our two-year-olds [this season], with Melody Belle, Summer Monsoon and this filly, and all credit to the staff for the way they have educated these young horses.

“The track riders concentrate on getting them on the right leg, getting them out of the barriers, and I take my hat off to all the staff for doing such a good job.

“This filly obviously has a really good future and we'll get her ready for races like the Matamata Breeders' Stakes in February,” said Ellis. Sentiments echoed by Jamie Richards who trains the horse in partnership with Stephen Autridge.

“Cameron (Lammas) has done the work on her and people that do the work get the rides, and she's an exciting filly.

“We bought her on the Gold Coast,” Ellis said.

“Mark (Walker) and Jamie (Richards) picked her out and I was the lucky one to buy her, and since we've bought her the half-sister has won the Matamata Breeders' Stakes and increased her value significantly and she looks a really good investment for the people that bought into her, which I'm thrilled for."

Post race, Richards summed things by saying: “It was a good effort”.

“We were a little bit worried about the gate but I said to Cam to go forward if she could.   She ended up three deep, but put the favourite back in a pocket and it was a nice ride.

“She's a professional wee racehorse, can be a bit of a tart at home but obviously she's a half to the Matamata Breeders' Stakes winner.

“It's a good two-year-old family and she's a lovely little filly.  It was great to see some of her owners on course including Gus Weston who travelled over from Sydney to see her run."

Gold Fever has a lovely Success Express (Hold Your Peace) influence on both sides of her pedigree. Success Express is the dam sire of Savabeel, through dual Group One winner Savannah Success.

A brilliant filly, winning eight of her fifteen starts, Savannah Success won a stakes race as a two-year-old over 1200 metres, won a further stakes race, a Group Three, two Group Two, including the Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm, and the New Zealand Oaks (2400m), and Ansett Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill, at the highest level.

While on the dam side, Success Express is the dam sire of Oratorio, through Express A Smile.

Gold Fever was strapped by Chelsea Burden.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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