Te Akau Season - Stakes' Win 13 (NZ) of 30

July sees the final month of our phenomenal 2023/24 racing season.  

As we like to do at this time of the year, we now reflect every day on our Group/Listed performers of the 'season that was' - and there were plenty!  In fact 30 across New Zealand and Australia, with nine at Group 1 level.

In New Zealand, the focus after NZ Cup Week concluded moved back north - and Te Akau trainers Mark Waker and Sam Bergerson again showed why the team's record with 2YO's is one of the very best you will find - in fact Mark still is the New Zealand record holder for 2YO wins/winners in a season, set before he re-located to Singapore.  The best fact about Te Akau 2YO's is they are not pushed or pressured, and they train on!

Purchased as one of two fillies for our 2023 Filly Partnership, Captured by Love took the season by storm ... becoming a Group 2 winner at just her second start!

Easy as you like, Captured By Love (2 f Written Tycoon – Moldova, by Snitzel) impressively won the $175,000 Mode Technology Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m) on 8 December at Trentham. 

After making a perfect start to her career in the 2YO 1000 metres on 12 November at Tauherenikau, when stretching out nicely in the process, Captured By Love faced a stiffer task second-up into a stakes' race but had no qualms.

The win confirmed her obvious natural talent, which subsequently enabled another win at Group Two level during the season, plus a Group Three - and also being twice Group One placed, she was indeed one of the best juveniles this season in New Zealand. 

Away well from barrier three to share the pace, Captured By Love quickened to an advantage mid-straight and outclassed her rivals when racing clear to win by three lengths.

Te Akau stable rider Opie Bosson ONZM barely had to move for the result to unfold and was suitably taken by the performance.

“She was always cruising underneath me, having a good look around, spotted everything on the course, but she’s got a big, long stretch about her and a big strong filly too,” Bosson said.

“She’s just natural, would probably be better chasing them, but drew inside, cruised up to the leaders and was just too good.”

Owned by the Te Akau 2023 Magic Fillies’ Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Captured By Love was purchased by David Ellis CNZM at the 2023 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Milburn Creek.

“It was a bit difficult to line up the form lines, with Captured By Love winning at Tauherenikau, Dream Of The Moon (third placed) at Riccarton, and then form out of Pukekohe and Te Rapa,” Ellis said.

Captured By Love is one of two in a fillies syndicate that Ellis purchased on the Gold Coast, and the other, The Victress (Zousain), also won on debut. 

“Two of our most supportive owners, John Elstob and Denise Bassett, have a share in both fillies (Captured By Love and Dream Of The Moon) and also All Black Anton Lienert-Brown has a share in the partnership that includes Captured By Love,” Ellis added.

Captured By Love is by outstanding sire Written Tycoon, who topped the Australian General Sires’ List in 2021 after rising from an initial service fee of A$8,250 to command A$165,000 and now has a private fee.

Leading First Season Sire and Champion Two-Year-Old Sire, Written Tycoon is also a sire of sires with Golden Slipper (Gr. 1, 1200m) winner Capitalist, Group One winners Written By and Ole Kirk, and Rich Enuff, Winning Rupert. 

Her dam-sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), a two-time Champion Sire of Two-Year-Olds in Australia, equalled then surpassed Danehill with a record number of individual two-year-old winners in a season – a mark that now stands at 35. He has also headed the General Sires’ List twice and Australian Champion Sire in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

As a broodmare sire, Snitzel, a son of Champion Broodmare Sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), is increasingly making his presence felt and last season his daughters left 10 stakes winners.

Captured By Love is the first foal of Moldova, who won twice at 1100 metres in Australia, while the dam-line has mated tremendously with eight time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), including multiple stakes winner Savvy Nature, stakes winner Addictive Nature, and 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Hasahalo.

Te Akau's previous wins in the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m):

2003 – Maroofity (Maroof)

2004 – Kapsdan (Kaapstad)

2009 – King’s Ransom (King’s Chapel)

2018 – Aotea Lad (Savabeel)