Stars Align for Equinox

Owned by the Te Akau 2018 Colt Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Equinox(2 c Exceed and Excel - Our Ella Belle, by Encosta De Lago) became another impressive individual two-year-old winner this season for Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards with a debut win on Saturday at Trentham.

A $1.90 & $1.30 favourite in the $10,000 New World Railway Metro Maiden 2YO 1000 metres, Equinox began well to race on pace, was held together drawing to an advantage at the 300m and when jockey Craig Grylls let the breaks go he flattened out stylishly to win by two and a quarter lengths in a time of 57.3.

Course commentator Tony Lee said: “Equinox has breezed in: too good. Big and powerful, and team Te Akau grab the first of the day. Too much power, a lovely action, wins, and wins nicely”.

Prior to racing, Equinox won his only trial by nearly five lengths on 8 January at Cambridge, prompting rider Opie Bosson to say: “He's a laid-back dude, but very good”.

“He's a pretty exciting horse: one trial, one win, one race, one win,” Richards said. 

Equinox was purchased as a yearling by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $750,000, from the draft of Pencarrow Stud, at the 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale.

From the high-class race mare Our Ella Belle, a fast finisher for third to Katie Lee (Pins) in the 2009 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), the family has been nurtured by Pencarrow since (Sir) Peter and Philip Vela bought her fourth dam, Heidi Belle (Copenhagen 11).

Danehill son Exceed and Excel is the most successful sire of juvenile stakes winners at stud in Australia, and the colt carries a Northern Dancer cross through the breeding of Exceed and Excel and as the great-grandsire of dam sire Encosta De Lago. 

“Equinox is in my colts' syndicate that I put together last year,” Ellis said. “Jamie and I identified him during inspections as a potential Group One winning two-year-old, and he's on his way.

“We bought three colts for the syndicate and all three have impressed us, and a lot more fun to be had with them, and we also put together a fillies' syndicate and they all look exciting prospects too.

“We're putting another colts' syndicate together this year, which is almost fully subscribed with owners, as too the fillies' syndicate.

“These two-year-olds are not easy to train and all of them are winning races because they're good racehorses and been very well educated, but none of them have been pushed and they're all horses that we expect will go on and be better three-year-olds.”

Ellis said Equinox would now likely contest the $70,000 Reid & Harrison Matamata Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 23 February at Matamata (won six times by Te Akau), ahead of the $200,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) on 9 March at Ellerslie (won four times by Te Akau).

“These are races we've won with Darci Brahma, Heroic Valour, and Minstrel Court, colts that have gone on to stand at stud, along with Sword of Osman, Warhorse, and Maroofity,” Ellis said.

“It's been a terrific effort by Jamie and all the staff to have these young horses performing up to their natural ability as two-year-olds, but as I said they should all keep improving as they continue to mature.”

Although harbouring plenty of natural ability, Equinox has still required a soft approach according to Richards.

“He's been good at home, but just had a couple of little immaturity issues that we've had to be patient with,” he said. “We picked out this race as a nice stepping stone into the Matamata Slipper and into the Sistema at Ellerslie. It's what we did with Heroic Valour, and it should suit him nicely.

“The guys at the colt barn: Scott (Lucock) and Mette (Mosebo) have done a terrific job, as too Dan Miller who rides him in most of his work. He's done a really good job on him and he's an exciting colt for the future.

“I've been out at Karaka, furthering our yearling inspections, and hopefully we can find some more really nice colts like him to try to turn into future stallions,” Richards added.

Recently returned from a successful stint in Singapore, Equinox was ably handled in the saddle by Craig Grylls.

“Craig's showing the benefits of international experience and I can see that he's going to the next level now,” Ellis said. “Like a lot of jockeys, when they ride internationally, he's improved through competing against riders like Glenn Boss, Michael Rodd, Vlad Duric, and all those good jockeys in Singapore.

“I can see he's improved from that experience and we're going to use him.”

Equinox was strapped by Alexis White.

“Alexis took the colt to Wellington, and she's a very important part of our team,” Ellis said. “She's doing a really top job.”

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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