Te Akau Te Aroha Trials' Report

Te Akau trialled horses at Te Aroha on Tuesday 5 February -

Weather: fine, track: Good3, rail: out 10 metres

Heat 1 Open 1200 metres (head, 1 ¾ lengths 1:13.1)

Wide Awake (5 g Zabeel - Kay's Awake) - Chelsea Burdan; easy off a
wide gate to settle back on the inner in sixth, six lengths 600m, he tracked
clear at the 200m, remained held together and looking for more after the line.

The winner of four races, including victory in the Woodville Cup (2100m), for the Te Akau Wide Awake Syndicate, he was purchased by David Ellis for $150,000, from the draft of Monovale Farm, at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale. Te Akau had already experienced success with his older siblings Alert and Rise ‘N' Shine, both by Zabeel (Sir Tristram). His dam, Kay's Awake (Towkay), showed to be an impressive performer in her career of six wins and was regarded as one of the very best race mares over the past decade in New Zealand, placing twice behind both Darci Brahma (Danehill) and Seachange (Cape Cross) at the highest level.

Heat 2 Open 1000 metres (3 ¼ lengths, 1 ¼ lengths 59.5)

Miss Scandinavia (4 m Smart Missile - Miss Helsinki) - Joe
Kamaruddin; settled three back inner on a steady pace and worked home nicely
between runners for fourth in a quiet trial outing.

A patient approach rewarded the Te Akau 2016 Scandinavia Syndicate when resuming with a win during her spring campaign down South and she continued solid form in the next grade with two seconds and a third from as many starts. A mare with an exceptional pedigree: grand-dam Miss Finland (Redoute's Choice) was Champion 2YO & 3YO Filly in Australia, and winner of five races at Group One level including the Golden Slipper (1200m) and VRC Oaks (2500m), she was purchased by David Ellis from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2016 Sydney Easter Yearling Sale.

Heat 4 2YO 1000 metres (head, long head 58.5)

Mary Gold (2 f Ocean Park - Gold Rocks) - Opie Bosson; was easy off
the outside gate, improved to five lengths at the 600m and made ground with a
strong finish for third.

In training for Waikato Stud,
Mary Gold is a half-sister to Gold Fever (Savabeel), bought by David Ellis for
the Te Akau Gold Fever Syndicate. Gold Fever was a Champion Two-Year-Old
finalist (won by stable-mate Melody Belle (Commands)) after becoming the sixth
Te Akau filly to win Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) and finishing
third in both the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) and Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 3,
1200m). The first foal from the mare, Gold Rush (So You Think), also won the
Matamata Breeders' Stakes.

Enrichment (2 g Rock ‘n' Pop - Enhance) - Jonathan Riddell; was
given a quiet time at the back of the field and happy to see him go around easily.

Bred and owned by Karyn Fenton-Ellis (MNZM), Lydia Ellis and Julia-Rose Ellis, he is the first foal from their talented filly Enhance (Saperavi) who stylishly won her first two starts. Bred by Karyn, the dam of Enhance, Pinstinct, from the Oregon mare Oregon Express, was a winner when trained by Mark Walker and given to her when retired from racing by the late Kim Lee.  

Heat 5 2YO 1000 metres (1 length, long neck 1:00.2)

Excitonic (2 g Savabeel - Bint Piavonic) - Opie Bosson; began well
to travel comfortably outside the leader, gained an advantage at the 200m and
strode out nicely to win.

He was purchased by David Ellis for $230,000 from the draft of Brighthill Farm at the New Zealand Bloodstock Book1 Karaka Sale, owned by Te Akau Excitonic Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). By four-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), his dam, Bint Piavonic, is the daughter of a terrific nine-time winner Piavonic (Scenic), who defeated Sunline (Desert Sun) and Falvelon (Alannon) in the Manikato Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m). Dam sire Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) is a Champion broodmare sire, setting an Australian record last year for progeny earnings in a single season. His influence is excellent, along with breed shaping sire Northern Dancer.

Heat 6 Maiden 1000 metres (3 ½ lengths, head 59.1)

Military Step (3 g Tavistock - Marching On) - Opie Bosson; began
well from the outside gate, steadied for cover, one off in sixth and eight
lengths at the 600m, he ran home into fifth.

Purchased by David Ellis for $62,500 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Seaton Park, and owned by the Te Akau Quick March Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). A first foal, his dam, Marching On (Pentire), impressed with an excellent turn of foot when winning three times up to 1200 metres. She was a racehorse with very good ability.

Heat 7 Maiden 1000 metres (head, head 59.0)

Scottish Star (3 f Bullbars - Highland Lights) - Opie Bosson; was
handily placed from barrier two, one off camped on the leaders at the 600m,
clear on straightening and kept up a resolute gallop to win.

A half-sister to stable-mate Our Abbadean (Lookin At Lucky), a dual Group Two winner and dual Group One placed, she was purchased by David Ellis for $46,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, from the draft of Wentwood Grange, and owned by the Te Akau Scottish Star Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). Within her bloodlines there is a very interesting cross of Glorious Song (Halo). Glorious Song is the dam of two internationally acclaimed stallions: Singspiel (In the Wings) and Rahy (Blushing Groom). Singspiel features on the dam side of Bullbars, and Rahy is the sire of dam sire Fantastic Light.

Faltonius (3 g High Chaparral - Faltonia) - Jonathan Riddell; settled
last from a wide gate, seven lengths 600m, tracked up stylishly inside the 200m
and closed in without a lot of room.

Purchased by David Ellis for $230,000 from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, and owned by the Te Akau Poetic Justice Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis). By High Chaparral (Sadler's Wells), a horse that won 10 of his 13 starts and became somewhat of a sire sensation when he stood in New Zealand, the sire of So You Think, Dundeel, Tivaci, and a multitude of Group One winners, Faltonius is the first foal from Hussonet mare Fontonia, a daughter of Doomben Cup (Gr. 1, 2020m) winner Cinque Cento (Nothin' Leica Dane).

Heat 8 Maiden 1000 metres (1 length, 1 ¼ lengths 1:01.2)

Man Oh Man (3 g Reliable Man - Lumir) - Opie Bosson; began well
from a wide draw, steadied three wide fifth, five lengths 600m and flushed
wider around the home turn made it difficult to make ground in a heat where
positions never changed.

In training for owner/breeders Gerard Peterson, Brad Peterson, and Penny Vuglar, he stems from an unraced Encosta De Lago mare, half-sister to eight time Group One winner Mahogany (Last Tycoon) who earned $3.6 in prize money. Displaying natural ability, Man Oh Man has the pedigree to develop into a nice staying horse, with Lumir already having left three winners around 2000 metres.

Heat 9 2YO 800 metres (head, 2 ½ lengths 47.8)

Cisjurane (2 f Burgundy - Femmebot) - Joe Kamaruddin; began well to
settle handily on the inner, across heels into the clear at the 300m and ran
home for fourth.

Purchased as weanling by David Ellis for $20,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale, from the draft of Wentwood Grange, she is owned by the Te Akau Cisjurane Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). From three named foals, her dam Femmebot (Stravinsky) has left three individual winners of 11 races.

Heat 10 2YO 800 metres (½ a length, long neck 47.5)

Lethal (2 c Savabeel - Katie Lee) - Opie Bosson; began well to
travel comfortably outside the leader, took an advantage mid-straight and sustaining
a strong gallop was claimed near the line in a close finish.

Owned by the 2018 Colt Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), from which Equinox (Exceed and Excel) recently won impressively on debut at Trentham,  purchased by David Ellis for just over $1m at the Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Cambridge Stud. He is the result of a mating between the most heralded champion stallion in New Zealand, Cox Plate winning three-year-old Savabeel (Zabeel), and Katie Lee (Pins), the first horse in history to win both the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m).

Heat 11 2YO 800 metres (head, 2 ½ lengths 46.4)

Miss Showtime (2 f Showcasing - Colombelle) - Opie Bosson; reared
as the gates opened, missing the start to settle a clear last and given a quiet
time thereafter.

Owned by the Te Akau Showtime Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), purchased by David Ellis for $180,000 from the 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Haunui Farm, the same vendors from which he purchased Champion Two-Year-Old Melody Belle (Commands).From a Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare, and fantastic female family, this filly has a multitude of class performers around her. Horses the calibre of Valpolicella, dam of Te Akau trained Catalonia (Vilanova (Aust.)), Vavasour, and Pussy Willow, while her third dam Dopff (Tights) is renowned for leaving quality thoroughbreds. Respected as an up-grader of progeny, sire Showcasing (Oasis Dream) is already a multiple Group One producing stallion, carving a reputation through siring 24 stakes winners in two hemispheres.

Heat 12 2YO 800 metres (2 ½ lengths, ½ a length 47.4)

2 f Savabeel - Cape Mapperley - Opie Bosson; began smartly from a
wide gate to situate outside the leader, took over easily at the 200m,
quickened to a two length advantage and won under a hold.

Purchased by David Ellis for $180,000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Mapperley Stud, she is a very correct and sleek looking filly with an action to match. The first foal from Cape Mapperley (Thorn Park), a consistent performer that won over 1600 metres, grand-dam Cape City, by influential sire Kaapstad (Sir Tristram), won twice at a mile in Australia, and in turn left 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner and Third Top Colt in the 3YO Handicaps Magic Cape (Magic Albert).

Tam O'Shanter (2 f Savabeel - Invermoray) - Chelsea Burdan; settled
three back on the outer, six lengths 600m, and wider around the home turn she
was not asked for too much on the firmer ground.

Purchased as a yearling by David Ellis for $110,000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale, from the Curraghmore draft, she is owned by the Fortuna Tam O'Shanter Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin). Dam Invermoray (Volksraad) left talented placed two-year-old Piper (O'Reilly), while grand-dam Cat Shmea (Felix the Cat) is the dam of Weaponry (Declaration of War), winner of his first two starts and before finishing third and fourth, respectively, in the Gore Guineas (Listed, 1335m) and Dunedin Guineas (Listed, 1500m), both trained by Te Akau.

Heat 13 2YO 800 metres (1 ¼ lengths, 1 length 46.5)

2 c Savabeel - Millililli - Opie Bosson; utilized barrier one to
co-lead a genuine pace, gained an advantage at the 200m and went on to win
well.

Having his first trial, he was
purchased for $440,000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale by
David Ellis and Aquis Farm, from Ohukia Lodge.

By Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m) winning three-year-old Savabeel (Zabeel), a four-time Champion sire, proving himself to be one of the most versatile stallions in Australasia. Te Akau has trained Savabeel colts Embellish and Hall of Fame to win Group One miles, Group One winning two-year-old Sword of Osman, Group Two winner Gold Fever, Group Three winners Splurge and Royal Success, listed winner Grazia, and a host of other winners by Savabeel. Dam Millililli is a half-sister to Singapore Champion 2YO Colt, 3YO Miler, and Stayer, now stallion, Onceuponatime (Van Nistelrooy), from the impressive race winning mare Scarlet Runner, a daughter of 2000 Guineas winner and renowned sire Kingdom Bay.

Xplosion (2 f Showcasing - Xpress) - Joe Kamaruddin; was a caught a
little wide in fourth, steadied, tracked up closer to the rail mid-straight and
closed off solidly into third.

Xplosion was purchased by David Ellis for $115,000 at the 2018 Karaka Book 2 Sale, from the draft of Nala Park, and owned by Te Akau Xplosive Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). She is the year younger sister of Wakefield Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) winner Xpression, who also finished second to Te Akau Champion Two-Year-Old Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) and third in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m).

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