Snapshot of Views on Our Stunner

There has been an abundance of trans Tasman media interest in our wonderful Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas winner Xtravagant ...

The Otago Daily Times (Dunedin) reports ...

When his first huge moment in thoroughbred racing came, Jamie Richards was surrounded by family.

And that is why the emotion came for the Mosgiel-bred 26-year-old at Riccarton on Saturday as Xtravagant produced a stunning turn of foot to win the group 1 2000 Guineas by 8 lengths.

Richards only teamed up with Stephen Autridge as co-trainers for Te Akau in May, and is already a group 1 winning-trainer six months later.

Richards' parents, Paul and Leanne, will be at Riccarton on Wednesday and were extremely proud parents when the Otago Daily Times contacted them.

Both sets of grandparents were on hand to watch the race, including his maternal grandparents, Garry and Lorraine McDonnell, who raced 1985 2000 Guineas winner Random Chance.

''I sat in the stands with Grandma and Grandad and they won it with Random Chance - it's huge,'' Richards said as he tried to keep his emotions in check.

Richards stood quietly behind the presentation area 15 minutes after the race as he tried to soak in not only his first group 1 as a trainer, but the enormity of Xtravagant's win as he pulled away over the last 400m.

''We thought we had him pretty right - we never expected him to do it like that,'' Richards said.

Richards joined the Te Akau operation as racing manager in March last year, and said the platform created by David Ellis, Mark Walker and Karyn Fenton-Ellis was first-class.

''To join up with Steve who has had so much success is a massive buzz and you couldn't ask for any better horses,'' Richards said.

''David spends so much time going and sourcing them and the breeders send us some lovely horses as well. I'm just very lucky to have landed where I have.''

In Autridge, Richards has a great mentor to bounce ideas off - and to share the media duties that come with running a large stable.

''He's a pretty laidback sort of bloke. Nothing's too much of a worry,'' Richards said.

''We talk about everything. We sit down, have a coffee and go through the lists most mornings. It's definitely working really well.''

Xtravagant was a $375,000 purchase at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock premier sale with his price no doubt bumped up due to being a full brother of top galloper He's Remarkable.

However, that hefty price now looks like money well spent, with a stud career all but confirmed for Xtravagant after the quickest 2000 Guineas this century.

''He's sealed himself a career at stud now. You don't see too many horses win the 2000 Guineas like that,'' Richards said.

So the most important question. Can Wingatui and Mosgiel take a share of this phenomenal win?''I think so - I'm from there - that's all right, isn't it?'' Richards laughed.

Te Akau also provided a moment to savour for Willow Glen Stud when Madam Jamai, by Waimate-based stallion Minstrel Court, won the rating 75 1100m.

''Barry and Dierdre Neville-White have been long-time owners of mine,'' David Ellis said.

''I gave them one of my services to Minstrel Court and they bred this horse. She's a filly with a bit of class.''

The Southland Times (Invercargill) reports ...

The eight and a half length winning margin for Xtravagant in the Group I $400,000 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday is the biggest in the 43-year history of the race.

The Pentire-Axiom colt ran a race record time of  1.33.59 to boot for the 1600m.

The previous biggest margin was  three and three quarter lengths by Darci Brahma in 2005. Xtravagant clipped 0.53sec off the race record set by Surfers Paradise in 1990.

Altitude (1981) and Turn Me Loose (2014) each won by three lengths. Altitude was ridden by Stephen Autridge, the trainer of Xtravagant  at Te Akau stables (Matamata), with Jamie Richards (26), who is in his second season as a trainer.

Xtravagant, a $375,000 purchase at the NZ premier yearling sale by David Ellis, is  raced  by the Te Akau breeding syndicate, whose manager is David Ellis. Ellis has syndicated other NZ Two Thousand Guineas winners, King's Chapel (2003), Darci Brahma, Tell A Tale (2008) and  Rock 'n' Pop (2011). All have been trained at  Te Akau stables, the first three  by Mark Walker and Rock 'n' Pop by Jason Bridgman.

The Weekend Herald (Sunday) reports ...

Handsome colt Xtravagant raced right up to his looks with a breath-taking victory in yesterday's Sothys New Zealand 2000 Guineas.

The Group One win at Riccarton continued Rich Hill Stud's golden after they had celebrated an historic group one Melbourne Cup victory with Pentire's son Prince Of Penzance on Tuesday.

Xtravagant completed a memorable double for the Walton, near Matamata, farm's foundation stallion after he produced an extraordinary performance to demolish his classic rivals.

The three-year-old jumped smartly from a wide gate to lead and at the top of the straight rider Matt Cameron was sitting pretty.

"I had to use him a bit to get across, but he was just cantering and when I gave him one or two behind the saddle his acceleration was just amazing," he said.

Battle Time was left eight and a half lengths in Xtravagant's wake with the filly Serena Miss third and Brighton best of the rest.

Cameron has been close to winning the 2000 Guineas several times previously, including a runner-up finish on Xtravagant's brother He's Remarkable in 2010, and his time came in outstanding style.

"He was just humming along and he was way too good for them," he said. "It was incredible."

Xtravagant is prepared by group one-winning trainer Stephen Autridge, but for his younger training partner Jamie Richards it was a first at the elite level.

"It's a massive buzz and we didn't expect him to do it like that," Richards said. "We thought he had improved since Wellington and the Te Akau model of getting them down here early has worked again " he's an outstanding colt."

It was a fifth 2000 Guineas victory for the Te Akau operation, whose principal David Ellis purchased Xtravagant from Rich Hill's 2014 Premier Sale consignment for $375,000.

They had previously won the classic with King's Chapel (2003), Darci Brahma (2005), Tell A Tale (2008) and Rock 'N' Pop (2011).

... and horseracing.com.au reported ...

Trainer Stephen Autridge has revealed that the 2015 Australian Guineas will be the early autumn target for Xtravagant following his dominant victory in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday.

Xtravagant went into the New Zealand 2000 Guineas as favourite following his impressive win in the Wellington Guineas Trial (1400m) at Trentham on October 24 and he was taken straight to the lead by jockey Matthew Cameron in the early stages of the race.

The Pentire colt was challenged by Amarula at the top of the straight, but Cameron did not move on the three-year-old until the 300 metre mark and he quickly ran away from his rivals when asked for an extra effort to record a simply outstanding eight and a half lengths victory from Battle Time and Serena Miss.

Autridge confirmed that Xtravagant will now head for a brief stint in the spelling paddock but he is set to return to racing for the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham in January before he heads across the ditch for the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 5.

He'll have a couple of weeks out at Te Akau and we'll bring him back and get him up for the Levin Classic,” Autridge told The Informant.

“That's over 1600 metres and it's another Group One, so it's a race that fits well.

“If it's all going the right way he'll have one more start here and then go to Melbourne for the Australian Guineas.

“You win that and you've got a stallion for sure. We're confident he would run a trip, especially ridden in behind. We were in the process of teaching him that style but then when he went and drew so side in the Guineas he had no option but to go forward.

“All I know is he's a very exciting galloper and we're all looking forward to what lies ahead for him.”

Xtravagant was given three barrier trials before he made his racing debut with a dominant seven lengths victory in a maiden at Hastings on April 18, but he did a great deal wrong when he finished eighth behind The Justice League in the Listed Northland Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka on September 12.

The colt produced an improved performance when third behind Let Her Rip and Untamed Diamond in the Hinuera Lodge Handicap (1200m) at Te Rapa on October 2 before he stamped himself as the most exciting three-year-old in New Zealand with back-to-back race wins.

New Zealand 2000 Guineas winners that have had success in Australia included Surfers Paradise, Veandercross, Darci Brahma, Jimmy Choux, Scared Falls and Turn Me Loose.