Te Akau Taupo Trials' Report

Te Akau trialled horses at Taupo on Wednesday 12 August -

Weather: overcast, track: Slow7, rail: true.

Heat 1 Open 1100 metres (1 ¼ lengths, head 1:07.3)

In A Twinkling (5 g Fastnet Rock - Moment In Time) - Danielle
Johnson; settled seventh of nine on the outer, six lengths 600m, and worked
home nicely in staying fashion to photo-finish for fourth.

Purchased by David Ellis for the
Te Akau Fastnet Moment Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis), he had a very good
three-year-old season earning over $300,000. Winning and also finished second
in the Zacinto Stakes (Listed, 1600m), Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m), and
fourth in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), he was beaten a nostril in the NZ
Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) before a fifth in both the Tulloch Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m)
at Rosehill, and ATC Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) at Randwick. He won twice last season,
including the Counties Cup (Gr. 3, 2100m).

Trainer Jamie Richards said: “I thought he trialled really nicely. He's a horse that's had a few little problems. But he had a good, long spell and he's come back well. We'll find a suitable race to kick him off and hopefully end up in the Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m) on the last day (Third Day of Hawkes Bay Spring Carnival, 17 October).”

Prise De Fer (5 g Savabeel - Foiled) - Opie Bosson; trailed handily on the inner and kept up a solid gallop under minimal urging to photo-finish for fourth.

Owned by the Te Akau En Guarde
Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), purchased by David Ellis for
$100,000, from the draft of Trelawney Stud, at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock
Premier Yearling Sale. He had a fantastic season, winning the Rich Hill Mile
(Gr. 2, 1600m), Taranaki Cup (Gr. 3, 1800m), and finishing second to stable-mate
Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in the Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic (1600m),
taking his tally to six wins and placed three times from 14 starts.

Jamie Richards said: “He trialled
nicely and if anything looks like he might be even more settled this season. Looking
forward to getting the blinkers back on race day, but Opie (Bosson) was happy
with how he felt.

Richards said Prise De Fer would
be prepared for the Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 5 September at Te Rapa,
before the Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 19 September and Windsor Park Plate
(Gr. 1, 1600m) on 3 October, both at Hastings.

“He could go back for the third one (Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m), 17 October), but we'll get through the first two before making a plan,” he said.

Heat 2 Open 1100 metres (neck, length 1:09.2)

Avantage (5 m Fastnet Rock - Asavant) - Opie Bosson; was three wide
in midfield off the outside gate, six lengths 600m, loomed rounding the home
turn and showed her class in winning. 

Purchased as a yearling for
$210,000 by David Ellis at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale and
owned by the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), she
capped an incredible Group 1 treble in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr.
1, 2000m) on Auckland Cup Day at Ellerslie.

A dream mare, by a Champion Sire,
out of a very good filly that won the Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m), one of
the best races in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, and
Group 1 placed over 2000 metres, by Champion Sire and Broodmare Sire Zabeel
(Sir Tristram). Avantage has won $1.4 million in prize money with 10 wins from
17 starts.

Jamie Richards said: “She's coming up really nicely and a very good mare. Opie (Bosson) was really pleased with how she felt. She's on track to head towards the Foxbridge and first couple of legs at Hastings.” (Similar to Prise De Fer, above).

Scott Base (6 g Dalghar - Extra Celestial) - Troy Harris; began well before steadying to eighth of ten, seven lengths 600m, and he rounded off solidly for fourth.

Owned by Chris Rutten, John
Norwood, and Joanna & John Frew, he romped away to win the Japan Trophy
(Gr. 2, 1600m) in March at Tauranga. He finished third in the Champagne Stakes
(Listed, 1600m) as a two-year-old, sprang to light winning the $1m 2018 Karaka
Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m), won the Wellington Guineas (Gr.
2, 1400m), and finished fourth in the Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m).

Jamie Richards said: “He trialled really well a couple of weeks ago at Te Rapa, coming up well, appreciates better ground, and does go to a new level with blinkers on (race day). Avantage, Prise De Fer, and Scott Base, will all head towards the Foxbridge and then Hastings, all going well.”

Exhibition gallop:

Aotea Lad (Savabeel), ridden by Troy Harris, and Vernazza (More Than Ready), Leith
Innes, also had an exhibition gallop over 800 metres and finished on terms
after breezing up the straight.

Trainer Jamie Richards said:
“Aotea Lad needed another hit out after two trials and he'll be off to the race
shortly”.

“Vernazza is a very nice filly owned by Cambridge Stud and leaves next Monday (Aug. 17) for Sydney. She would trial a week after arriving (Tuesday 25 August), following a similar path to Probabeel (Savabeel) last season - with two runs into the Flight Stakes.

Darley Princess Series at Royal Randwick:

Furious Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m), 5
September

Tea Rose Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m),
19 September

Flight Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m), 3 October

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