Te Akau Taupo Trials' Report

Te Akau trialled two horses in the open class heats staged on Wednesday 22 August at Taupo

Weather: overcast, track: Slow9, rail: true

Heat 1 Open 1100 metres (¾ lengths, head 1:06.7)

Our Abbadean (6 m Lookin At Lucky - Highland Lights) - Opie Bosson; got back to last over a sprint trip, eight lengths 600m, and while remaining rearward she quickened when asked in the straight.

Bred and owned by the Hawkins family at Wentwood Grange, Our Abbadean came of age in the autumn when winning three of her last four starts, including the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr. 2, 2000m), Travis Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), and second in the Hawkes Bay Cup (Listed, 2200m).

A pedigree cross to Northern Dancer appears through the dam side of Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike) and female side of dam sire Fantastic Light (Rahy), as well as the desired influence of Mr. Prospector (Raise A Native) - sire of Smart Strike.

Heat 2 Open 1100 metres (3 lengths, 1 ½ lengths 1:07.4)

Age Of Fire (4 h Fastnet Rock - Dragon's Tail) - Opie Bosson; settled second last over a sprint trip, seven lengths 600m, and although not making ground he tracked home nicely in a leader dominated heat.

Second to stable-mate Embellish (Savabeel) in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), he gained Group One success in the Levin Classic (1600m) during a terrific three-year-old season that reaped three wins and nearly $300,000 in prize money.

Owned by the Te Akau 2016 Sydney Breeding Syndicate No. 2 together with Brendan and Jo Lindsay, he was purchased by David Ellis for $400,000 at the Sydney Easter Yearling Sale, from Erinvale Thoroughbreds.

Age Of Fire is out of the unraced Galileo (Sadler's Wells) mare Dragon's Tail, whose three foals to race, including Age Of Fire, have all been winners. Dragon's Tail herself is out of the Zaitoona (Soviet Star), who is a half-sister to Group One winner Fly To The Stars (Bluebird) and stakes winner Fallen Star (Brief Truce). Fallen Star is the dam of Listed winner Fallen Idol (Pivotal) and Group One winner Fallen For You (Dansili), who produced Group Three winner Glorious Journey (Dubawi).