Te Akau NZ Win 2 of 5 - Awesome Opulent

The second of Te Akau Racing's five New Zealand winners was Opulent, who had travelled south last week with our earlier-in-the-day 2YO winner Sassy "N" Smart ...

The Te Akau Opulent Syndicate, managed by David Ellis, could not have wished for a better resumption by its talented mare Opulent (4 m Keeper - Silk Slipper, by Woodman), when capping a hat-trick of wins on Saturday in the $18,500 Canterbury Landscape Supplies Rating 75 1200 metres at Riccarton.

Recording her third win from ten starts, Opulent headed south last weekend with Sassy ‘N' Smart (Smart Missile), an impressive debut winner earlier on the programme, and the move by trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards to give her a break after winning back-to-back in June/July certainly looks a wise one.

Immediately after her impressive four length win in the Rating 65 1400 metres at Ruakaka, the pair launched a plan to contest the $80,000 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m) on 11 November at Riccarton - and with the precursor out of the way in fine style, she can now prepare with added confidence.

Eased off the pace in the early stages by Michael McNab, Opulent appeared to be going better than the rest when ranging widest at the 300m and she produced a powerful finish to win easily by one and a half lengths.

On good Good3 footing, she ran the 1200 metres in a smart time of 1:08.7, last 600m in 33.3, and returned generous odds ($11.60 & $3.30).

“She travelled down super, settled in really nicely and will improve for the run,” said Richards. “Her coat is not spot on yet but it was a very good win off the back of her two wins at Ruakaka.

“She is an exciting mare and some black type will make her a very valuable breeding proposition."

"My wife Karyn races her with a team of our long-standing owners so they are all very happy" said Ellis.

Opulent was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $205,000 at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Cambridge Stud, and certainly appears to be justifying not just his belief but also that of breeder Sir Patrick Hogan, when saying:

“Opulent was a special foal. She was a special weanling and a special type of yearling when she went through the ring at the sales and right from the start she was a very good-looking and smart filly”.

Picture credit - www.raceimages.co.nz