"Te Akau Lockdown Love"

Welcome to Day 21 of our feature - as our world around us changes indelibly, we want to bring some smiles and sunshine every day - yes a small distraction but it does everyone good to be able to smile when times are tough.

There is nothing like a true gentleman!

Being a gentleman, they say, is a matter of choice. It is a title earned by good character, intelligence, strength, style, fine manners, wonderful temperament and an unwavering commitment to the pursuit of excellence.

Anyone can be heroic from time to time, but a gentleman is something you are all the time, as being a gentleman is a matter of choice! 

Today meet the epitome of a gentleman - Prise De Fer.

Nicknamed "Sabre" you can see why from his dam's name - he is one of the most distinguished and polite boys you could meet. He's a joy to be around, lovely to do anything with and treats all the fillies with respect (he is a gelding)!!

And while Avantage may have been "ladies first" in the Group 1 Haunui Farm Classic where Sabre finished a gallant runner up - next season he'll put manners aside, just like in the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile and the Group 3 Taranaki Cup, leading them home.

In fact he did that five times in a row - winning!

Prise De Fer is like a fine wine - he simply keeps improving with age, getting better and better so look out next season. We think the best is yet to come!

Rich Hill Mile (Gr. 2, 1600m) winner Prise De Fer  (4 g Savabeel - Foiled, by Snippets) had an incredible season when winning five in a row before finishing second to stable-mate Avantage (Fastnet Rock) - on her way to a Group One treble - in the Haunui Farm Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m).

Owned by the Te Akau En Garde Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Prise De Fer was purchased by David Ellis for $100,000, from the draft of Trelawney Stud (for Raffles Farm), at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale. 

He registered a win and two seconds from a handful of starts as a three-year-old, racing well in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m), Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m), and culminated his campaign with an unlucky eighth in the NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m). 

Strengthened at four, he resumed in September with a sold third in the Rating 72 1300 metres at Taupo, before commencing a picket-fence form-line with victories at Te Teko, Pukekohe, twice at Ellerslie (including the Rich Hill Mile), and Taranaki Cup (Gr. 3, 1800m) in February at New Plymouth.

Along with stable-mates Avantage, Melody Belle (Commands), Probabeel (Savabeel), and Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle), Prise De Fer will be nominated for the $5m Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m) on 24 October at Moonee Valley, Melbourne.

#loveinthelockdown

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