Te Akau Tauranga Double - Glory Days

Glitzy Glory (3 f Embellish – Colheita, by St. Petersburg) resumed with a tough victory in the $25,000 Duncan Dental Maiden 1200 metres on 15 December at Tauranga.

Indicators pointed to good fresh-up performance after she sustained a strong finish for second when trialling on 13 November at Waipa, while there was also a wealth of support based on the form around her.

Glitzy Glory won her first trial as a two-year-old at Tauranga, staving off subsequent Futurity Stakes (Listed, 1400m) winner Saltcoats (Ardrossan). She performed well for fourth in only juvenile start, and finished strongly for second to subsequent debut winner Rayet (Tivaci) when trialling this prep.

Ideally drawn (2) and nicely situated behind the leaders by stable rider Opie Bosson, Glitzy Glory received space early in the home straight and kept digging to defeat well-supported Market Place (Burgundy).

Scoring by a half-head, Glitzy Glory ran 1200 metres in 1:11.9, last 600m in 34.2 (approx.), and justified favouritism ($1.90) on the NZ TAB tote. 

Bred by Opie and Emily Bosson, she is owned by Glitzy Glory Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). 

“It was a good fresh-up effort by the filly, terrific ride by Opie and he got a good thrill out of breeding her with Emily,” said co-trainer Mark Walker.

“If anything, she’ll improve out of the race. She’s a good doing filly and once we step her over more distance we expect her to keep showing more.

“We love the progeny of Embellish and he’s going very well at stud.”

The family, which is capable of leaving a top horse, has been bred from by Lynley Autridge, wife of former Te Akau trainer Stephen Autridge, who is also the Godfather to Opie Bosson. 

Glitzy Glory is the fourth individual winner from Colheita, a three-quarter sister to Chartreuse (St. Petersburg), out of Imzadi (Sir Tristram), who produced 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner and New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Platinum Witness (California Dane). 

Lynley Autridge displayed her eye for a horse when purchasing Chartreuse (St. Petersburg) as a yearling, who won three stakes races and in turn became the dam Platinum Witness.

Autridge had said previously: “It is a really good filly family and stems from one of Sir Peter Vela’s mares, Imzadi, by Sir Tristram. The family went off the boil a little bit, but then along came Chartreuse and then they all started winning again.”

The family has also left impressive performer Zennista (Zenno Rob Roy), a winner of nine races from 1200m – 2400m, including three Group Three wins. 

Bought as a yearling at Karaka by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM, the sire of Glitzy Glory, Embellish (Savabeel), won the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), beating stable-mates Age of Fire (Fastnet Rock), while subsequent superstar Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle) was beaten a nose for third. 

Embellish commenced stud duties in 2019 at Cambridge Stud, and Te Akau has already experienced success with the stakes' placed winner Talisker and impressive two-year-old winner What You Wish For. 

“It’s always a thrill when you buy a yearling like Embellish that can remain as a colt, win such a great sire making race as the 2000 Guineas, and then either purchase or train their progeny,” Ellis said. 

“He’s made a great start to his stallion career and although his progeny look more three-year-old types, he’s thrown horses with the natural ability to win at two and I think they’ll just keep getting better with age.”

Glitzy Glory was strapped by Murala Mallesh. 

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