Te Akau Taupo Trials' Report

Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards: premiership winners last season with 104 victories (second in the current premiership with 70 wins), presented horses at the trials on 24 April at Taupo.

Weather: fine, track: Dead5, rail: true

Heat 1: 2YO 850 metres (2 lengths, 3 ½ lengths 49.7)

2 f Bernardini - Eternal Path - Samantha Collett; was fifth, got back approaching the turn and found the sprint trip too short.   She is a filly with a stakes performed pedigree, being from a half-sister to a Group Three winner, bred by and in training for Kevin Hickman (Valachi Downs).

Heat 2: 2YO 850 metres (3 ½ lengths, head 50.2)

2 f Commands - Donna Sienna - Opie Bosson; settled three back on the inner, stayed to rail in the straight and went on solidly after the line.  Purchased as a weanling at the 2015 Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, he is in training for owner Tony Rider.

Heat 3: 2YO 850 metres (neck, 5 lengths 49.6)

Burlone (2 f Burgundy - Scicolone) - Opie Bosson; was first out from barrier one, steadied to second and ran home nicely for third.

From a Galileo mare bred by Sir Peter Vela, this filly was bred by David Ellis,Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM and Jim Brown and raced by them together with Jim's son Geoffrey.  Her sire, five time stakes' winner Burgundy (Redoute's Choice), a three-quarter brother to Darci Brahma (Danehill), was purchased by David Ellis and trained by Te Akau. Standing at Cambridge Stud, he has produced three individual two-year-old winners from his first crop which sees him in a tie for the lead.

2 g Uncle Mo - Indalama - Michael McNab; worked into a nice position fourth on the inner and rounded off solidly for fourth.   Purchased for $40,000 by David Ellis at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Bowness Stud, he is from a winning Commands filly (1100m) who has left three winners from as many to race. He is owned by Aussie & Leslie Browne and Graeme Davie.

Heat 4: 2YO 850 metres (long neck, ½ a length 50.6)

2 f Darci Brahma - Velvet and Satin - Opie Bosson; was on bridle outside leader, centre three-way duel in straight and showed good action for a close second.

Bred and owned by Sir Peter Vela (Pencarrow Stud), she has a world-class pedigree and David Ellis purchased her yearling half-brother, by Redoute's Choice, for $140,000 in January at Karaka.

Ellis said: “We've had a lot of luck with this family. We trained the stallions Darci Brahma (Danehill) who won five Group Ones among nine stakes' wins, Burgundy (Redoute's Choice) won five stakes' races before going to stud and he is the equal leading sire of winning two-year-olds this season. We won the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) with Bespoke (Pins) and we trained Uberalles (Giant's Causeway) to run third in the NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m)”.

Heat 5: 2YO 850 metres (1 ½ lengths, neck)

Bak da Master (2 g Mastercraftsman - Bak da Princess) - Michael McNab; jumped well to take up a handy position on the inner, a touch awkward around the sharp home turn and went through the line looking for much further.

Purchased by David Ellis privately, he is from a Danske (Danehill) mare that is doing a great job at stud with winning progeny of twenty races. He is a half-brother to Group One Easter Handicap winner Pondarosa Miss (High Chaparral) and Group One placed multiple stakes' winner Ecuador (High Chaparral) in Australia.

Heat 6: 2YO 850 metres (½ a length, 1 ¼ lengths 49.6)

2 f Cape Blanco - Singalong - Michael McNab; got back on the inner from a wide gate and tracked home along the rail, looking for further.   Trained for owner/breeders Sir Patrick and Justine, Lady Hogan, Singalong carried their colours to victory in the Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr. 3, 1400m), Desert Gold Stakes (Gr. 3, 1500m) and Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m).

Heat 7: 2YO 850 metres (neck, 4 lengths 50.0)

2 g Rock ‘N' Pop - Edesia - Opie Bosson; covered extra ground in midfield, flushed wider rounding the home turn and requires more ground.   From the first crop of Waikato Stud stallion Rock ‘N' Pop (Fastnet Rock), who won the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) for the Te Akau Rock ‘N' Pop Syndicate, he was bred by David Ellis, Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM and stable clients from the O'Reilly mare Edesia and raced by them.

Heat 11: 2YO 1050 metres (neck, 3 ¾ lengths 1:02.9)

Griffin (2 g Iffraaj - Double Elle) - Opie Bosson; jumped well from barrier one, trailed, off 300m and ran on solidly for third.

Owned by the Te Akau Slam Dunk Syndicate, the year younger brother of stable-mate Gingernuts, Griffin was purchased by David Ellis for $90,000 from online auction site Gavelhouse.  Of note, when Griffin rounded off solidly for fourth in his first trial on 7 February at Matamata, Gingernuts was then the winner of two from five starts. But in two months since then has accumulated over one-million dollars in prize money following wins in the Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m), New Zealand Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m), Rosehill Guineas (Gr. 1, 2000m), and fifth in the Australian Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m).

2 f Burgundy - Squall - Samantha Collett; settled three back on the inner and ran home earnestly along the rail for fifth.  Bred by Gavin & Shane Wealleans and raced by them together with David Ellis and Peter Jensen, her dam Squall (Black Minnaloushe) won five races over sprint trips.

2 f Fastnet Rock - Gipsy Countess - Michael McNab; worked up fourth on the outer, flushed wider rounding the home turn and finished in midfield.   In training for owner/breeder Raffles Dancers (NZ), her Sadler's Wells dam won over 2400 metres in the UK, and she has the attributes of a filly that in time will appreciate getting over ground.

Heat 12: 2YO 1050 metres (2 ½ lengths, 1 length 1:01.8)

Jet Set (2 c Savabeel - Society Lady) - Opie Bosson; went forward to position outside the leader and kept going solidly to finish close up for the minors in fourth.  He was purchased by David Ellis for $440,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Blandford Lodge.

Ellis said: “The Savabeel / O'Reilly cross is proving incredibly successful and he fits the mould of a 2000 Guineas/Derby type, with a terrific nature, and although having to stretch a bit we were very pleased to secure him”.  A half-brother to stable-mate and Karaka Million placed colt Kingsman (Darci Brahma), his dam Society Lady (O'Reilly) was a smart winner as a two-year-old and grand-dam Logical Lady (Sound Reason) left champion 3YO miler Final Destination (O'Reilly), a dual Group One winner of the 1000 Guineas and Bayer Classic.

Cloudburst (2 g Pour Moi - November Rain) - Michael McNab; was back last from a wide gate, eight lengths 600m, and although unable to make ground she ran home solidly widest on the track. Owned by the Te Akau Cloudburst Syndicate, after David Ellis bought him for $300,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, he is from a talented Stravinsky mare noted for her blistering acceleration. At three, November Rain was runner up in the both the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m) and the NZ Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) before going on to win the Cal Isuzu Stakes (Gr. 2, 1600m) the following season.

2 g Rip Van Winkle - Vega Sicilia - Craig Grylls; got well back on the inner and remained rearward over the sprint trip.  Purchased by David Ellis for $110,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Pencarrow Stud, and owned by Ronald Lau, his dam Vega Sicilia has already left three winners of 12 races, including Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m) winner Valbuena (Darci Brahma) who has since won three races in Singapore.

Heat 13: 2YO 1050 metres (1 ¾ lengths, head 1:02.7)

Pacific Coast (2 c Snitzel - Malibu Road) - Opie Bosson; was caught three wide in sixth, tracked up wider around the home turn and sustained a big effort finding the line close up for the minors in fourth.

Owned by the Te Akau 2016 Breeding Syndicate, he was purchased by David Ellis for $500,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Curraghmore Stud -“he is a colt with exquisite balance, is very athletic, and has real class,” Ellis said.

By the leading sire in Australia, Snitzel, this colt boasts a lovely Danzig cross on both side of the pedigree, his page oozes group performers, and Curraghmore Stud master Gordon Cunningham said: “I've always considered him a very good example of Snitzel. He looks fast and he comes from the best family in the world, so there is a lot in his favour”.

English Rose (2 f Makfi - Bislieri) - Craig Grylls; camped on the leaders in fifth and received no clear galloping room in the straight, finishing just off the pack at the line.

A sister to 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Sofia Rosa, the multiple Group winning filly that culminated her three-year-old season with a victory in the ATC Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) at Randwick, she was purchased for $200,000 by David Ellis, from the draft of Westbury Stud, at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.  She certainly appears to have her share of ability and even before racing this filly has enormous value.

2 g I Am Invincible - Court Flying - Michael McNab; worked up outside the leader and fought solidly to finish a length or two from the winner.  Purchased by David Ellis for $205,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm, he is a lovely type of horse with the depth of pedigree to keep improving.

Heat 14: 2YO 1050 metres (2 lengths, neck 1:03.5)

2 g Ocean Park - Queen Rania - Michael McNab; was off pace in fourth, worked up wider around the home turn and made good ground into second. Purchased for $130,000 by David Ellis from the draft of Kiltannon Stables at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sales, he has continued to improve with the experience of three trials and will show the benefit as a three-year-old.

2 c Azamour - Franny - Craig Grylls; got back to last and tracked home behind the leading division in the straight.  In training for the Inner Mongolia Horse Industry (NZ), he has a truly international pedigree. His unraced dam is by champion UK miler Selkirk, grand-dam by world champion sire Sadler's Wells (second only in stakes winners (323) to Danehill (349)), and third dam by English Derby winner Shirley Heights.

Heat 15: Open 1050 metres (head, ¾ lengths 1:02.0)

Splurge (4 g Savabeel - Splashing Out) - Opie Bosson; was patiently ridden last of seven, six lengths 600m, drag up 400m and unwound a big finish to claim the leader in classy fashion near the line.

A stakes' winner last time out, in the Darley Plate (Gr. 3, 1200m) at Ellerslie, and winner of six from ten starts, he is owned by the Te Akau 2014 Breeding Syndicate after being purchased as yearling by David Ellis from the draft of Waikato Stud at the Karaka. His dam, Splashing Out (O'Reilly), from the family of Sacred Falls (O'Reilly), has left multiple stakes' performed winners of twenty races. In preparation for a campaign in Brisbane, he will contest the Open 1200 metres this Saturday, 29 April, at Te Rapa.

Rocksun (4 g Fastnet Rock - Beyond the Sunset) - Michael McNab; secured a nice position in fourth on the outer, worked into contention rounding the home turn and sustained a strong finish for fourth.

A winner of two from three starts through May and June last season for the Te Akau 2014 Breeding Syndicate, he has been patiently handled in only nine races.  A half-brother to Matamata Breeders' Stakes' (Gr. 2, 1200m) winner Te Akau Coup and stakes' winner of four races Don Garcia (Danehill), both purchased by David Ellis and trained by Mark Walker, Rocksun also fitted the bill at yearling inspections time before being purchased from the Pencarrow Stud draft at Karaka.

Heat 16: Open 1050 metres (head, 1 ¼ lengths 1:03.0)

Jimmy Rea (5 g Thewayyouare - Maureen Terese) - Opie Bosson; began smartly to lead, dictated pace and held together he crossed the line on terms with the winner without being extended.

Te Akau trained for owner/breeder Kevin Hickman (Valachi Downs), he was unbeaten in three trials before transferring to the Te Akau stable in Singapore. The winner of six races, including a hat-trick, from thirteen starts, and nearly half a million in prize money he returned home following an injury. Appearing to have lost none of his zest, he will commence racing in open handicaps with a rating of 92.

Tavis Star (5 m Tavistock - Megapins) - Michael Coleman; found a nice position in fourth and held her spot with a solid finish amongst runners.   The winner of two races for owner and breeder Michael Nooyen, she has included a frustrating number of placed performances: seven seconds and four thirds, but the daughter of Wellington Cup (Gr. 2, 2400m) winner Megapins (Pins) continues to develop and appears ideally positioned to convert placed finishes to victories.

Silverdale (7 g Castledale - Elianto) - Michael McNab; got back on the inner and made ground along the rail in the straight.  A grand campaigner, multiple stakes' performed winner of seven races, he is returning from injury and should derive plenty of benefit from the outing before gaining race fitness again.

Bishop Rock (4 g Fastnet Rock - Festival Princess) - Sam Weatherley; was handily placed on the inner and although unsuited by the sit and sprint affair he fought solidly just off the leading division.  A dominant winner over a mile down south before contesting the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 2000), he recorded two strong performances for second before ending his previous campaign and resumes off a lengthy break. He was purchased by David Ellis for $250,000 from the draft of Curraghmore Stud at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

Heat 18: Maiden 1050 metres (½ a length, 4 lengths 1:02.4)

3 f Pins - Lillet - Michael McNab; tracked up from fifth rounding the home turn and fought on in the straight.   In training for owners Francis Cook and Max Whitby, and bred by Trelawney Stud, she is from a Zabeel half-sister to dual Group Three winner Martini Red (Red Ranson), who in turn is from Pernod (Centaine) the winner of eight races and $600,000 in Australia.

Heat 19: Maiden 1050 metres (dead-heat, 3 ½ lengths 1:03.1)

Elegant D'oro (3 f Medaglia D'oro - Elegant Fashion) - Opie Bosson; worked forward to travel outside the leader and kept up a resolute gallop to dead-heat for first.  She is owned and was bred by Dr. Gene Tsoi, for whom Te Akau trained his New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year King's Rose (Redoute's Choice), a multiple Group One performer and winner who accumulated $1.3m in prize money.

Her dam is the 2003 Hong Kong Derby winner Elegant Fashion (Danewin). As a three-year-old in Australia, she recorded four of her eight career wins including the Moonee Valley Oaks (Gr. 2, 1600m). In Hong Kong, she also won the Group Two International Cup and Group Two Chairman's Trophy for total stake earnings of $A6.6m.

Heat 20: Maiden 1050 metres (½ a length, head 1:02.3)

Lady Masako (3 f Iffraaj - Lady Sakura) - Michael McNab; got back on a genuine pace and was unable to make ground running home on the undulating straight.  She was purchased by Te Akau Racing for $23,000 at the 2015 NZB South Island Sale, from the draft of Pear Tree Farm. Following two starts, she has been given a good spell and has the benefit of two trials.

Heat 21: Maiden 1050 metres (1 ¾ lengths, 3 lengths 1:02.5)

Leonessa (3 f Pour Moi - Lioness) - Michael McNab; was one off fourth in tight quarters and although a couple sprinted better over the short trip she fought on solidly for fifth.

Given time since finishing runner-up to stable-mate Abbey Kay (Keeper) on debut over 1200 metres in February at Te Aroha, she is a half-sister to VRC Derby (Gr. 1, 2500m) winner Lion Tamer (Storming Home), Group Two placed winner of six races Let Me Roar (Rip Van Winkle), and purchased by David Ellis for $40,000 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

Heat 23: Maiden 1200 metres (long neck, 1 ¼ lengths 1:12.4)

Zedman (4 g Zed - Sazerac) - Opie Bosson; worked forward on genuine pace to co-lead on the inner, before being claimed by horses in better ground wider on the track.  A tried horse, he is yet to start for the Te Akau trainers but being by Zed (Zabeel) can only keep improving as he matures and steps up in distance.