Te Akau Taupo Treble - Carsolio Cruises Home

It was a wonderful day for Te Akau at Taupo on Sunday - three runners for three winners - 100% strike rate .... here is the first of the day and our first win of the season with the champion aboard - Opie Bosson ONZM ...

Breaking through at his third start, Carsolio (3 g Bivouac – Whitehaven, by Pierro) resumed with a sound victory in the $17,000 Cambridge Stud Stallions Maiden 1000 metres on 17 August at Taupo.

Finishing second and fifth, respectively, in two starts as a two-year-old, Carsolio had galloped strongly to win a trial on 8 July at Waipa, and ran home solidly for fifth when trialling on 5 August at Te Rapa, both in the hands of race day rider Opie Bosson. 

Having displayed ability to act well when fresh, with the pace to situate in or near the lead from barrier three, Carsolio came into the race with top three credentials.

In the zone, after winning the previous race on the programme aboard race favourite Te Atatu Dream (Complacent), Bosson controlled terms in front aboard Carsolio, appeared to travel best turning for home and proved too good for the only challenger, Fleeting Star (Cool Aza Beel).

On rain-affected footing, downgraded to Heavy8 following race one, Carsolio ran 1000 metres in 1:04.2, last 600m in 38.9 (approx.) and as race favourite paid $2.20 & $1.20 on the NZ TAB tote.

“It was a really good win by Carsolio and great to see Opie (Bosson) back in the winner’s circle today at Taupo,” said Mark Walker, trainer partner with Sam Bergerson. 

“It was a lovely ride, controlling the tempo of the race, and although Carsolio wasn’t entirely comfortable in the ground it was nice to see him win like he did.

“It looks as though the shorter trips, like this, will suit the horse, so we’ll see how he comes through the race and find something suitable for him up in grade.”

Owned by Denise Bassett & John Elstob, David Ellis CNZM and Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM, Carsolio was bought by Ellis at the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Segenhoe Stud.

By three-time Group One winner and Champion Male Sprinter in Australia Bivouac (Exceed And Excel), from the family of Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver (Medaglia d’Oro), Carsolio scored impressively on good ground at the trials, before racing, and appears a nice sprint prospect for the spring, especially as the footing improves. 

His dam sire Pierro (Lonhro), the quintessential racehorse and Champion First and Second Season Sire in Australia, only ever ran in stakes' races, winning 11 of his 14 starts. The unbeaten Triple Crown winner as a two-year-old amassed A$4.5 million, and has now sired over 1500 winners, including 76 stakes' winners. 

The grand-dam of the Carsolio, Pattini (High Chaparral), is a half-sister to Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver as mentioned.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “Bivouac was a sensational racehorse and we were only too pleased to have bought one of his first progeny to be offered.

“He’s a wonderful mover, great physique, with a loose action, terrific stride, and plenty of scope about him too.

“He’s out of a mare by Pierro, who has the makings of a top broodmare sire, given his makeup and pedigree, and has world-class stallions High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) and Danehill (Danzig) as his next two dam sires. 

“He’s is out of the famous Segenhoe Stud family, that of the great mare and fourth dam Skating (At Talaq).”

Carsolio has a strong influence of breed shaping stallion Danehill (Danzig), as the grand-sire of Bivouac, while also being represented on his dam line, plus in the dam line of Whitehaven.

Carsolio was strapped by Assistant Trainer Reece Trumper.

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz