Te Akau Juveniles to the Fore

The Informant reports:

With the Karaka Million run and won, attention has switched to the major juvenile features in the second half of the season, and Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards will line up some bright prospects at Matamata and Trentham tomorrow (Saturday).

The Prima Park 1200 at Matamata sees the welcome return of Sassy 'N' Smart (main picture), who created a huge impression at Riccarton in the spring. The Smart Missile filly was a stylish winner of both of her starts including the Listed Welcome Stakes, where she became the first black-type winner for her young sire.

Sassy 'N' Smart hasn't been seen at the races since then, but her form has been boosted in the last couple of months of two-year-old racing. Welcome Stakes runner-up What Choux Want performed creditably in two starts at Ellerslie including a fast-finishing fifth in the Karaka Million, while third placegetter Don'tpokethetiger finished third to Leading Role in the Gr. 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes.

With her home-track feature the Gr. 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes on February 27 firmly in her sights, Sassy 'N' Smart is being given a race over the same course and distance.

“She's very well heading into this weekend's race,” Richards told The Informant. “We were very pleased with how she came back from Riccarton. We had planned to trial her at Te Aroha last week, which would have tidied her up nicely, but unfortunately those trials were called off.

“But she's been doing some very nice work at home. She's still on the way up, but we think she's forward enough. She's getting ready for the Breeders' Stakes and then carrying on to the Group Ones at Ellerslie and Awapuni if her form warrants it.”

Tomorrow's performance will determine whether the filly goes straight into the Matamata Breeders' Stakes or has another lead-up run.

“We've got a couple of options,” Richards said. “We could either go straight there, or we could give her another race at Te Rapa in early February if we think she needs it. We'll see how she goes on Saturday and how she comes through it.”

The Te Akau team will be represented in the New World Stokes Valley 2YO at Trentham by first-starter Heroic Valour. The Australian-bred colt is by Fastnet Rock out of Myrrh and was bought by David Ellis for $400,000 at last year's Premier Yearling Sale. Ellis bought a full-brother to the colt for $510,000 earlier this week.

“Heroic Valour is a lovely colt,” Richards said. “He's had a couple of nice trials. He won his first one very nicely, then he had a bit of a quiet day out in his second trial when we tried tucking him in behind horses.

“He's an exciting horse. He might just need a bit more practice, but we're hoping the trip away to Trentham might help turn him into a racehorse.

“The aim for him at the moment is the Listed Matamata Slipper on the same day as the Breeders' Stakes. We'll have to see whether he's ready for a race like that. We'll know more after Saturday.”