Special by Name, By Style

Te Akau Racing in New Zealand celebrated a winning double at Riccarton - a track where the stable has been so dominant for many years - including seven group 1 Guineas' victories. Almost adding to that phenomenal tally last year were Darci's Dream and Chambord, runners up in the Group 1 1000 and Group 1 2000 Guineas respectively.

Our first winner was Flaming (see previous story) and the second winner was Special Memories who Alysha Collett headed south to ride - that proved a smart move with the filly winning over stablemate Risque (who lost no admirers being checked at a vital time) ... so a Te Akau quinella ...

Given a peach of a ride in the trail by Alysha Colett, Special Memories (3 f Fastnet Rock - Memories of You, by Galileo) quickened to lead at the 200 metres and drew clear for a commanding win in the $17,500 Zacinto at Inglewood Stud Guineas Trial on Saturday at Riccarton.

After being checked back to the rear, stable-mate and race favourite Risque (Darci Brahma) did well to steam home late for second.

Special Memories was all at sea when resuming on shifty going in the 3YO Fillies 1100 metres at Taupo. She put in a tidy effort from last to finish sixth in the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) a fortnight ago at Riccarton, in a race won by stable-mate Windborne (Darci Brahma), and the only surprising thing in her victory were the luxurious $14.40 & $3.70 odds.

David Ellis bought the filly for owners Carol Marshall and Nessie Paykel, outlaying $400,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales last year from the draft of Curraghmore Stud.

Ellis had said: “She is an outstanding filly by Fastnet Rock (Danehill), one of the leading sires in the Southern Hemisphere. This particular filly has it all. She has a beautiful temperament and a terrific walk, and looks as though she could be trained for any distance. A precocious type as well, she appears ideal for age group racing and in particular the classics as a three-year-old.

“I was approached by Bob Morris, whom I've known well for forty years, and Carol Marshall who has been an exceptionally good trainer of horses in her own right, including million dollar earner Giovana (Blue Traveller), to buy a filly at the Karaka Sales last year,” said Ellis.

“Nessie is the wife of the late Maurice Paykel, who founded Fisher & Paykel. Maurice was a great racing man, and the father David Paykel who we trained Zarzuela (Zabeel) for and she was one of the best fillies we've ever trained,” said Ellis.

“More recently we have trained O'Darci (Darci Brahma) for Bob, Carol, and Nessie and he won three out of three before a mishap at the trials ended his career.

“She (Special Memories) is the filly I recommended to them and we had to go a little bit over budget to buy her, but to buy the good fillies by Fastnet Rock out of Galileo (Sadler's Wells) mares that's what you've got to do.

“I am absolutely stoked for them, as they're people that I've admired all my life and to have them with a nice filly in the stable is a huge thrill,” said Ellis.

The Paykel family was also to the fore earlier in the day at Hastings, when Serious Satire (More Than Ready), from Zarzuela, won the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) for David Paykel.

Special Memories, the winner of two from six starts, holds a nomination for the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 14 November at Riccarton, and the timely spring to form will probably see her have one more race in the interim.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz