Te Akau NZ Win 3 of 5 - Xtra Good

The third of Te Akau's five winners on Saturday came from Trentham ... by a colt who is Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas' bound ... and is now joint favourite with our other colt Scrutinize ...

Xtravagant (3 c Pentire - Axiom, by Zabeel), the brother to He's Remarkable, took a major dip in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) market after thrashing his rivals in the $20,000 NZTBA Wellington Branch Guineas Trial over 1400 metres on Saturday at Trentham.

The only issue now for stable jockey Matt Cameron will be choosing which of the three Te Akau colts he will ride on 7 November  at Riccarton, after Xtravagant shortened from $21 to join Scrutinize (Savabeel) as equal $5 favourites. The third colt is the stylish last start winner Bishop Rock. Cameron will have time to reflect on all the cracking colts after riding Scrutinize in the $100,000 Sarten Memorial (Gr. 2, 1400m) on Monday at Te Rapa.

But it was Xtravagant who had his day in sun at Trentham and now carries on south to join a red-hot team of stable-mates at Riccarton.

First out of the gates and third at the 1000m, Xtravagant jogged up outside the leader at the 600m and Cameron had a handful when cornering for the run home. Quickening clear at the 400m, the colt that won by 7 ¼ lengths on debut as a two-year-old scored untouched by two and a quarter.

A head-turner right from the start, Xtravagant was purchased by David Ellis for $375,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Rich Hill Stud.

“At the sale he was a fully developed horse and probably as handsome an animal and a beautiful example of what a thoroughbred should look like,” said Ellis. “And he's just gone ahead from being a stunning young colt to become quite a magnificent racehorse.

“We had a hiccup with him first up at Ruakaka but have experimented with different bits and gear and the win day came as no surprise.

“Kerry Jones has done a marvellous job riding him in his work each morning and it's a real team effort to get him to this stage, and Matt (Cameron) rode him beautifully."

Xtravagant is from an unraced Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare and his grand-dam is multiple stakes' performer Arletty (Centaine). She won eight of her twenty-nine starts, including the Wilkinson Mile (Gr. 3, 1600m) and Ra Ora Stakes (Gr. 3, 2000m) at Ellerslie, the Villiers Stakes (Gr. 2, 1600m) at Randwick, and the Queen of the Turf (Gr. 2, 1500m) at Rosehill.

Xtravagant is now looking to go one better than He's Remarkable, who finished runner-up in the 2000 Guineas and trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards have always believed his was a live chance.

“He's got a terrific turn of foot, has always been an exciting colt, owned by a great bunch of loyal clients for Te Akau and just another example of a quality horse that Dave (Ellis) has bought out of Karaka,” said co-trainer Jamie Richards.

The Te Akau 2014 Breeding Syndicate, managed by David Ellis, has much to look forward to.

Picture credit - www.raceimages.co.nz