Te Akau Colts on Exhibition

Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson gave two colts an exhibition gallop between races on 2 January at Tauranga.

Preparing to trial on 14 January at Matamata, Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes' winner Move To Strike (3 c I Am Invincible – No Evidence Needed, by Shamardal) was ridden in the exhibition by Matt Cartwright, and To Bravery Born (2 c Snitzel – Milunka), who displayed a good turn of foot to win by two lengths in his sole start over 800 metres in August at Wanganui, was ridden by Craig Grylls.

Racing on terms, before the older three-year-old colt gained an advantage over the concluding stages, they ran 1000 metres in 1:00.9 and last 600m in 34.9.

It was particularly good work by the impeccable looking dark brown colt, Move To Strike, and Cartwright was suitably impressed when saying the horse travelled beautifully and had plenty left. 

Owned by the Te Akau 2023 Stallion Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Move To Strike, bred on the same I Am Invincible/ Shamardal cross as 10-time Group One winner Imperatriz, was purchased by David Ellis CNZM, from the draft of Baramul Stud, at 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. 

Interestingly when three-year-old Colonel Warden (Russian Revolution) won recently at Rotorua, he became the seventh winner of eight that Ellis bought at the 2023 sale.

In addition, he purchased Group One winners Move To Strike (I Am Invincible) and Captured By Love (Written), along with multiple stakes' placed winner Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard), dual winners The Victress (Zousain) and Legally Binding (Exceedance), and stakes' placed winner Unbridled Joy (Snitzel).

Preparing to resume in the $45,000 2YO 1200 metres on Sunday 12 January at Ellerslie, To Bravery Born was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $200,000 at the Karaka 2024 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Curraghmore Stud, and owned by the Te Akau Secret Identity Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis).