Te Akau Avondale Trials' Report

Te Akau trialled horses at Avondale on Tuesday 8 December -

Weather: cloudy, track: Dead5, rail: out 11 metres.

Heat 1 Open 1000 metres (4 ½ lengths, 3 ½ lengths 1:00.7)

Avantage (5 m Fastnet Rock - Asavant) - Opie Bosson; tracked third
of three, got to their outside on straightening, quickened to lead 250m and she
galloped clear for a smart trial win.

Purchased as a yearling for $210,000 by David Ellis at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale and owned by the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), she capped an incredible Group 1 treble in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) on Auckland Cup Day at Ellerslie. A dream mare, by a Champion Sire, out of a very good filly that won the Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m), one of the best races in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, and Group 1 placed over 2000 metres, by Champion Sire and Broodmare Sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram). A Champion Two-Year-Old, Avantage has won $1.5 million in prize money with 11 wins from 21 starts.

Heat 2 2YO 800 metres (¾ lengths, neck 47.0)

Craving (2 f Tivaci - Inscrutable) - Opie Bosson; settled behind
the pace and held up, she quickened through late into second.

Owned by Kerrie & Rob Cox (KR Bloodstock), she is from the first crop of Waikato Stud stallion Tivaci (High Chaparral), winner of the All Aged Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at Randwick, and out of a mare by Champion Broodmare Sire Encosta De Lago (Fairy King).

Heat 3 2YO 800 metres (¾ lengths, ¾ lengths 45.8)

On The Bubbles (2 g Brazen Beau - More Bubbles) - Opie Bosson; was
caught wide off the outside gate, improved inside the 600m and he kept up a
solid gallop for third.

Purchased by David Ellis in January at the 2020 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Leanach Lodge, owned by Te Akau Splash Of Dom Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). By Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible), the Leading Second Season Sire of stakes winners (2020/21) in Australia, his world renowned dam sire, More Than Ready, has sired 3501 winners including 239 stakes winners and 49 Group 1. Grand-dam sire, Commands (Danehill), is the sire of dual Horse of the Year Melody Belle.

Heat 4 2YO 800 metres (1 ¾ lengths, ¾ lengths 46.0)

Palamos (2 c Extreme Choice - Unrevealed) - Opie Bosson; settled
handily, improved three wide rounding the home turn and he was held together for
a comfortable third.

A decisive debut winner in the NZB RTR Trainers Series 2YO 1000 metres on 24 October at Te Rapa, and freshened since, he was purchased as a yearling by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $85,000 at the 2020 Karaka Book 1 Sale, and owned by Mr. Edmund Wong. From the first crop of dual Group 1 winning sprinter Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt), out of Unrevealed (Forest Wildcat), winner of four races to 1400 metres in Japan.

Heat 11 Maiden 1000 metres (1 ¾ lengths, ¾ lengths 1:00.7)

Holyhead (3 f Pierro - Irish Sea) - Opie Bosson; was first out to
lead, travelled boldly on the bridle and she had matters in hand past the 300m
to win untouched.

In training for owner/breeder China Horse Club, she is by Pierro (Lonhro) the Champion First, Second, and Third Season Sire in Australia. Pierro only ever ran in stakes races, winning 11 of his 14 starts. The unbeaten Triple Crown winner as a two-year-old amassed $4.5 million and already had yearling progeny reach $1.5m in the sales ring. He has sired 612 winners, including nine Group 1 wins. Dam Irish Sea, by Champion Sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill), was a winner over 1100 metres in Australia.

Heat 16 Maiden 1200 metres (¾ lengths, ½ a length 1:13.2)

Jahzara (3 f Power - Game Duchess) - Opie Bosson; steadied off a
wide gate, crossed to travel fourth inner on the bridle, and she pushed clear
rounding the home turn before sustaining a strong gallop to win.

In training for JML Bloodstock
(Mgr: Lib Petagna), by ex Cambridge Stud stallion Power (Oasis Dream), Champion
Second Season Sire. Her dam, Game Duchess, is by Montjeu (Sadler's Wells), one of the highest quality
horses in the world, winning the Irish Derby, French Derby, and Arc de
Triomphe, before experiencing plenty of success internationally and when
standing at stud in New Zealand. Game Duchess has left six individual winners
of 23 races, including Group 3 winners Exquisite Jewel (Lucky Unicorn) and Dark
Princess (Cape Blanco).

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