Te Akau Avondale Trials' Report

Te Akau Racing trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards took horses to trial on Thursday 14 September at Avondale.

The weather was overcast with a wind blowing and temperatures up to 17 degrees. Riders mentioned that although the footing was quite testing there was some improvement as it dried out a touch during the day.

Track: Heavy10, rail out 13 metres

Heat 2 Open 1000 metres (1 ¼ lengths, 1 ¼ lengths 1:05.5)

Zambezi Warrior (5 g Pentire - Zambezi) - Wiremu Pinn; travelled easily at the tail of the field, five lengths astern at the 600m, made ground easily when circling widest around the home turn and held together in the straight to finish fifth.

He finished second in the Premier's Cup (Gr. 3, 2200m) and fourth in the Chairman's Handicap (Gr. 3, 2000m) in three starts during the winter carnival in Queensland. The winner of four races was having his first trial following a spell.  He was purchased by David Ellis for $75,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, for the Te Akau 2014 Cups' Syndicate, from the draft of Goodwood Stud - the same stud that bred Gingernuts (Iffraaj).

Heat 3 Open 1000 metres (¾ lengths, long neck 1:04.6)

Cousteau (3 c Exceed And Excel - Maritime) - Opie Bosson; began well to lead, travelled keenly, and not overly comfortable on the puggy ground he was not knocked around in finishing fourth.

Cousteau was purchased by David Ellis for $230,000 in January 2016 at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale, a half-brother to Group Two & Three winner Charlie Boy (Myboycharlie). He was very consistent, with a win, two seconds and a third, from five starts as a two-year-old, and following two trials now looks set to resume on better footing.

Heat 4 Open 1000 metres (3 lengths, neck 1:04.5)

Nucleonic (3 f Burgundy - Mexican Rose) - Cameron Lammas; began smartly and travelled well in front to the home turn, rounding out a solid trial effort for fourth.

Bred by David Ellis & Greg Tomlinson (Nearco Stud), her dam, Mexican Rose (Volksraad) was champion 2YO & 3YO in Singapore, having first impressed winning two of three races in New Zealand.  Nucleonic was impressive winning on debut over 1000 metres last December at New Plymouth, spelled after one additional start and preparing nicely to race again.

Heat 5 Open 1000 metres (½ a length, head 1:05.7)

Splurge (5 g Savabeel - Splashing Out) - Opie Bosson; settled at the rear of six runners, up on the bridle and three lengths off the pace 600m, he worked between horses to hit the line well for third.

The winner of seven from 13 starts, including the Darley Plate (Gr. 3, 1200m) at Ellerslie, he looked good in preparation to race again. Owned by the Te Akau 2014 Breeding Syndicate, after being purchased as yearling by David Ellis from the draft of Waikato Stud at the Karaka, his dam Splashing Out (O'Reilly), from the family of Sacred Falls (O'Reilly), has left multiple stakes' performed winners of 21 races.

Heat 6 Open 1000 metres (neck, 3 ½ lengths 1:05.9)

Unfazed (4 m Zabeel - Faze) - Dennis Tan; settled at the rear, four lengths 600m, came widest in the home straight and kept running on solidly for fourth.

She is one of only five horses from the last crop of champion stallion Zabeel (Sir Tristram) and raced away to win her Maiden by nearly four lengths over 1400 metres in January this year at Rotorua.  Following the win, Sir Patrick Hogan said: “We own the filly and race her on lease with others, including some of the Super Rugby referees, in a team comprising Jamie Tout, Matthew Bell, Bryce Lawrence, Glen Jackson, Mike Fraser, Alan Muir and Mark & Chrissy de Lacy."

Heat 7 2YO 600 metres (1 ¾ lengths, 2 ¾ lengths 36.5)

Queen Of The Air (2 f I Am Invincible - Flying Single) - Opie Bosson; sprang the gates to lead, did things professionally in front and although her long stride was not conducive to the heavy ground she galloped out strongly to win well. It was an excellent first trial.

Owned the Te Akau Supersonic Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), she was purchased by David Ellis for $240,000 at the 2017 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.  At the time of purchase, David Ellis said: “She's an absolute beauty and we really loved her. She's a very precocious filly, a real two-year-old type, nominated for the ($3.5m) Golden Slipper, by the boom sire I Am Invincible and her dam sire Flying Spur is doing a terrific job with his broodmares.”

Heat 11 2YO 600 metres (head, 1 ¼ lengths 37.2)

Pinot Grey (2 f Burgundy - Streaming) - Cameron Lammas; began smartly to lead, taken on early in the home straight and kept finding plenty to win well - a very encouraging first trial.

She was purchased by David Ellis for $145,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, from the draft of Cambridge Stud, for the Te Akau Pinot Grey Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).  By the five time stakes' winning stallion Burgundy (Redoute's Choice), trained by Te Akau and a three-quarter brother to Darci Brahma (Danehill), this filly is the first foal of an unraced Stravinsky mare, from a family that has produced a lot of two-year-old winners.

“We were determined to by her and thought she was the best Burgundy in the sale. She's out of a young Stravinsky mare and as I have said so often, ‘I love buying first foals',” Ellis said.

Heat 13 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (¾ lengths, ½ a length 50.5)

3 g Reliable Man - Abbey Tralae - Opie Bosson; put himself straight onto the pace, outside the leader and displayed athleticism to win nicely.

Bred and owned by Stan Painton, his dam, Abbey Tralae (Traditionally), won seven times, impressing over 1200 metres on good and slow going, and the indicators are there to suggest she has left another horse with the potential to win races. Te Akau Racing trains his year older sister Abbey Kay (Keeper), a Maiden winner in February at Te Aroha.

The breeding cross is 5 x 3 to Mr. Prospector.

Heat 14 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (1 ¼ lengths 1 ½ lengths 50.2)

Burlone (3 f Burgundy - Scicolone) - Wiremu Pinn; settled last, well off the pace and although remaining rearward she closed the margin nearer the rail and looked good through the line.

From a Galileo mare bred by Sir Peter Vela, this filly was bred by David Ellis & Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM and raced by them with Jim and son Geoffrey Browne.

Heat 15 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (1 ¼ lengths, 1 ½ lengths 49.8)

Gris Dame (3 f Reliable Man - Double Babu) - Wiremu Pinn (main picture); was allowed to find her feet, improved four wide around the home turn and sustained a very good finish for third.

Half-sister to dual Group One winner MacO'reilly (O'Reilly) and a grandson of 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner and Filly of the Year Plume (Crested Wave), she was purchased by David Ellis for $125,000 from the draft of Ardsley Stud at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, and owned by the Te Akau Double Trouble Syndicate (Mgr: Julia-Rose Ellis).  Inheriting the grey colouring of her sire, from a mare that has left the winners of 17 races, she has the makings of a lovely three-year-old filly.

Heat 16 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (head, 2 lengths - no time)

Pop Diva (3 f Rock ‘n' Pop - Doyenne) - Dennis Tan; received an economical run on the inner and stayed on nicely in the slowest of the going for fourth.

She is raced by Te Akau Stud together with Selwyn & Judy Maynard, GN & CM Bloodstock, Barry & Shona Old, Stephen Turner, Chris & Raewyn Ireson, and David & Andrea Rayner.  Her dam, Doyenne (Kilimanjaro), was trained by Mark Walker to win six races. After gaining a start in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m), Doyenne returned as a four-year-old to win three times up to 2000 metres and continued her good form at five to register two wins and a stakes' placed second in the Spring Classic (Listed, 2000m) at Riccarton.

Heat 17 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (neck, 3 ¼ lengths 50.0)

Qian Gua (3 c Cape Blanco - Cool Diamond) - Cameron Lammas; was one off in a line of four on the speed, in the slowest going nearer the rail in the straight, finished fourth and was rolled on solidly through the line.

In training for Mr. S Hon and Mr. Q Yu, after Mr. Hon purchased him at the 2016 NZB Ready to Run Sale, he is from a terrific Cambridge Stud family that includes Capital Diamond, Diamond Lover, Tristalove and stallions: Don Eduardo, Viking Ruler, and Viscount.

Heat 25 Maiden 4YO & Up 800 metres (neck, head 50.3)

4 g Lonhro - Devil's Song - Opie Bosson; steadied off the gate to track along in third, was clear in centre track on straightening and lengthened once balanced to win without being extended.

In training for Sir Peter Vela, he is a big, tall, leggy horse and drew comment from the rider ‘he can gallop'. Also bred by Pencarrow, the family has left NZB Filly of the Year Vapour Trail (Jetball) who won the New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) and good horses from the breed have shown to string a few wins together.

Heat 27 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (1 length, head 1:05.9)

Martinelli (3 f Burgundy - A La Votre) - Cameron Lammas; was camped on the leaders throughout, never saw daylight but also the found the testing ground not to her liking.

From the talented three time winning mare A La Votre (Volksraad), already a handy producer, the filly is owned and bred by A & L Browne Bloodstock, Karyn Fenton-Ellis (MNZM), Aaron Jones and Stephen Turner.

Heat 28 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (½ a length, 1 ½ lengths 1:07.1)

Bak Da Master (3 g Mastercraftsman - Bak Da Princess) - Cameron Lammas; was on the job throughout, happily bowling along three wide in the open and in staying fashion fought hard for third.

Purchased privately by David Ellis for $90,000, after being passed in at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, for the Te Akau Master Syndicate, he is from a Danske (Danehill) mare that is doing a great job at stud with winning progeny of twenty races. He is a half-brother to Group One Easter Handicap winner Pondarosa Miss (High Chaparral) and Group One placed multiple stakes' winner Ecuador (High Chaparral) in Australia.

Heat 29 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (head, neck 1:04.9)

Cloudburst (3 g Pour Moi - November Rain) - Opie Bosson; drifted back from barrier one and the rider said he never travelled a yard in the heavy going.

Owned by the Te Akau Cloudburst Syndicate, David Ellis bought him for $300,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale. He is from a talented Stravinsky mare noted for her blistering acceleration on good tracks. At three, November Rain was runner up in the both the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m) and the NZ Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) before going on to win the Cal Isuzu Stakes (Gr. 2, 1600m) the following season.

Heat 30 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (long head, 2 ¼ lengths)

English Rose (3 f Makfi - Bislieri) - Opie Bosson; drifted to last from barrier one in order to avoid the worst going, five lengths 600m, ranged widest around the home turn and sustained a big finish, drawing clear and only claimed late when easing, to finish close second.

A sister to 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Sofia Rosa (Makfi), a multiple Group winner that culminated her three-year-old season with a victory in the ATC Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) at Randwick, she was purchased for $200,000 by David Ellis from the draft of Westbury Stud at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.  She certainly appears to have her share of ability and even before racing this filly has enormous residual value.