Stylish Win by Fashionably

The second leg of Te Akau's winning Te Rapa double was claimed in style by Redoute's Choice filly Fashionably ...

Fashionably (3 f Redoute's Choice - Scarlett Lady, by Savabeel) had the flashing light on after her last start performance and the royally bred filly made amends stylishly in the Maiden 3YO 1600 metres on Sunday at Te Rapa.

Purchased by David Ellis for $240,000 at the 2015 Sydney Easter Yearling Sale, from the draft of Kitchwin Hills, for Waikato Stud owners Mark and Garry Chittick, the breakthrough followed two strong finishes for second and fourth, respectively, and she was backed in late to $2.00 on the tote.

“It's good to see DC (David Ellis) and Te Akau getting these results, and it keeps all the syndicates happy and I'm pleased to see the team going well,” said Garry Chittick, reflecting on the recent wins for the stable that includes Hall of Fame (Savabeel) winning the Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) at Trentham.

“In the last three weeks Savabeel's had the two-year-old win at Ellerslie, mile winner a week later, and the Wellington Cup winner, and it's a pretty versatile stallion that does that,” he said. “He's had eleven stakes winners this year and I doubt there would be any stallion in Australia going better.

“He produces lovely types and we've got a lovely draft of horses again (for the upcoming Karaka sales).

“He's easy to breed to and the O'Reilly/Savabeel cross is just phenomenal - running at about twenty-five percent stakes' winners to runners - and we have about sixty O'Reilly mares at stud now.

“We (Mark & I) have been very happy with the training and communications. In fact, we've been kept right in the loop with it and racing horses is good fun.

“David bought the filly originally, and I was talking with Mark about her, as we'd had the family but sort of run out of it, and he said ‘why don't we buy it and get back in the family'? I happened to be over at Sydney (sales) and said to DC we'd like to own her.

“Chris (Phillips) our vet, to be fair, fell in love with her. But he likes those English-type of horses, because she was more delicate than what you normally see and not a robust looking Kiwi filly.

“It would be nice to think we could get some black print with her in the next year or so, the mare was a bit later maturing but she might yet be a Queensland filly."

Chittick also had praise for the abilities of David Ellis to purchase and syndicate a large number of young horses.

“David is one of our biggest clients, great for our industry, and quite unbelievable. He's a genius at what he does. I take my hat off to him and he has a very good reputation,” Chittick said.

Prior to the race, Jamie Richards, who trains her with Stephen Autridge, said: “Things didn't go right (last time) at Tauranga, she got on the wrong leg and was a bit unbalanced but back racing left-handed should be a big help and she's a three-year-old filly that is bred to stay and up to a mile should suit”.

Fashionably was one out in seventh early before being shuffled at the 1000m, and tenth of eleven runners at the 700m, but quickened appreciably rounding the home turn and in the end won as she liked by one and a half lengths.

“They eased the pace and she got up charging on me a little bit and she was hanging in too, so I couldn't go out when I wanted but after that she did well to pick herself up, got into a nice rhythm, and won really well in the end,” Bosson said.

“They went slow and sprinted from the 700m and I had to get up and get closer to them as we turned in.

“She got the ability there, anyway.”

Fashionably is the first foal of dual Group One winner Scarlett Lady (Savabeel), who won the Queensland Oaks, and weight-for-age New Zealand Stakes, at the highest level, among eight victories and $821,000 in prize money.

“She's bred to be good, is certainly improving and there are a lot of manners to be learnt along the way so she will just keep stepping up,” Autridge said.

“I think she'll start to put it together now, it's a pity it's taken so long because she's missed out on most of her three-year-old career, but the owners are very patient people and there are some nice races coming up.   The breed improves with time; she's improving so there's plenty of upside.

“They eased up down the back, but as I said she's still learning, got shuffled back, looked a bit rank, but after that she was three wide following one in and the further they went the better she went.”

Sponsored by Waikato Racing Club Supports True Colours Charitable Trust, the mile was run in 1:37.9 and final 600m in 35.2.

“It was bloody good and I was really rapt with the win,” said Mark Chittick, owner and general manager of Waikato Stud.

“David (Ellis) and his team do a hell of a lot of homework to come with horses that give owners every opportunity, so it becomes exciting and a great achievement when we sell Te Akau a horse.

“And this filly that we've just won with has a pedigree that I've always liked, had a little bit to do with, and although I wasn't at Sydney when we bought it I did my research straightaway to see whether or not David had her sold and after discussions, that's how she came into our ownership.

“It's not a big family but it has a lot of guts and if they do show that they can run, then they can really run and early indications with this filly are pretty positive.”

At the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale last year, Ellis bought the sale topping colt from the Waikato Stud draft for $775,000. Named Embellish, the Savabeel sister to Group One winner Diademe, out of Bling (O'Reilly), is already showing signs of being a very good colt.

Chittick also touched on the recent Group One success of Hall of Fame (Savabeel).

“I really, really like that horse. He beat a very good field and had to be tough to win, so it was great and he's a lovely type. I believe he can really go on now,” he said.

Fashionably was strapped by Jamie Richards.

 
Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz