Te Akau Follows Proven Formula

Date: 7 Dec 2018

Te Akau Follows Proven Formula
The Informant reports:

The Wakefield Challenge Stakes was a springboard to Karaka Million glory two years ago for Melody Belle, and the Te Akau Racing team hopes history might repeat.


Two years ago Melody Belle finished third in the Trentham Group Two feature, chasing home the quality fillies Gift Of Power and Hasahalo. Six weeks later she turned the tables on that pair, scoring a brilliant Karaka Million victory at odds of 31-to-one.


Trainer Jamie Richards will saddle Aotea Lad to make his debut in this year's edition of the Anuka Smoker-sponsored feature, which will be held over 1200 metres at Trentham on Saturday.


By Savabeel out of the Group One-placed Corsage, he was bought for $200,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis at the Karaka Book 1 sale earlier this year. Aotea Lad has had two trials, winning the most recent of them at Matamata on November 27.


“He's a two-year-old we've got a lot of time for and we really like,” Richards told The Informant earlier this week. “His last trial was a very good effort. He's really turned the corner since we made the decision to geld him.


“His work has been good, he's heading in the right direction and we thought this race looked like an excellent chance to try to qualify him for the Karaka Million.”

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