Te Akau Season - Stakes' Win 21 of 30 - Australia No.7

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.

Te Akau mare Campionessa enjoyed a sensational season - after winning her hugely deserved Group 1 in New Zealand, the decision was made to hunt down valuable black type in Australia.  

Facing opposition that had succeeded and was proven at the highest level in Australia, she showed she was more than up to the task when victorious at Group 2 level in Melbourne, defeating two previous Melbourne Cup winners in the process …

Richly deserving of recent Group One success in the Zabeel Classic (Gr. 1, 2050m), Campionessa (6 m Contributer – Bella Carolina, by O’Reilly) gained another valuable victory in the $300,000 Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes (Gr. 2, 1800m) on 24 February at Caulfield (Melbourne).

Her sole Australian start prior, following seconds in both the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) and Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr. 1, 2050m) last season, had resulted in a highly creditable sixth in the Australian Cup (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Flemington.

The consummate professional, Campionessa had finished second to Australian Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner to Legarto in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) on 10 February at Te Rapa, and despite a quick turnaround after landing in Australia she was still good enough to get the win over former Melbourne Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m) winner Vow And Declare in a head-bobbing finish, with another former Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip in third place.

“She got a dream run and full credit to Mick (Dee), he’s been such a help to us here when we set up in Melbourne, and he’s also galloped Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) a couple of times for Opie (Bosson),” said trainer Mark Walker.

“Mick summed it up well and full credit to the mare, she only got here on Wednesday night so she hasn’t been here long.”

Owned by the Te Akau Campionessa Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), she was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for A$60,000 at the 2019 Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, from the draft of Mapperley Stud, where the sire stands.

Her 33 starts have yielded 11 wins, 10 places, and over $1.25 million in prize money. 

“What an incredible mare and to think we were lucky to get her, really,” Ellis said.

“She was passed in at Karaka, and Simms (Davison) took her to the Gold Coast Sale, where I was with Joe Walls and Jamie Richards, and she was passed in again before we negotiated the purchase.

“She displayed ability right from the start when she won her first two starts and has just continued to get better as she’s matured.”

From the first NZ crop of Contributer (High Chaparral), Campionessa is out of the three-time winning mare Bella Carolina, by O’Reilly (Last Tycoon). 

Australian Middle Distance Horse of the Year Contributer (High Chaparral) was a dual Group One winner in the Chipping Norton (Gr. 1, 1600m) and Ranvet Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m), and Champion Second Season Sire in New Zealand.

His sire, High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells), won six Group One races including the English and Irish Derbies. 

Dam, Bella Carolina, won three times to 1400 metres and done a great job at stud leaving five individual winners of 26 races, including stakes winners Tennessee (Per Incanto), who won the Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1000m), and Leedox (Time Test) in the Futurity Stakes (Listed, 1400m). 

In addition, the dam sires in the pedigree of Campionessa are some of the best to ever stand in New Zealand: Champion Sire O’Reilly, and in turn Centaine, and Noble Bijou. While through her sire lines she carries a cross of immortal sire Northern Dancer. 

Campionessa is in work at Matamata, and scheduled to trial on 6 August at Te Rapa.