Te Akau Te Teko Trials' Report

Te Akau Racing trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards took horses to trial on Thursday 31 August at Te Teko.  The weather was generally fine - intermittent showers - temperatures up to 17 degrees, but the footing was very heavy. In testing conditions, the horses were not asked to do too much but the outing served the intended educational and fitness purposes.

Track: Heavy11, rail out 12 metres

Heat 3 Open 1040 metres (dead-heat, 3 lengths 1:05.8)

Royal Success (5 g O'Reilly - Royal Show) - Michael McNab; settled last of five runners, improved wide from the 600m and despite being unsuited to very heavy going his quiet trial pleased the rider.

Having won four of his eight starts, including a fresh-up win in December last season at Trentham, he was purchased by David Ellis for the Te Akau Royal Success Syndicate.   Ellis said: “I bought this horse at the [NZB] Ready to Run Sales and on buying him told the owners they would have to be patient, and that he would grow and develop into a really good horse.  Like a lot of Savabeel's he likes the tracks around a Dead4, not too hard, or heavy, and the patience shown by the owners has been rewarded.”

Heat 7 Maiden 3YO 850 metres (1 length, 1 ½ lengths 53.0) - pictured below

English Rose (3 f Makfi - Bislieri) - Cameron Lammas; tracked up from off the pace to be camped wide as the leaders swung for home and she came into it nicely over the concluding stages to finish fourth.

A sister to 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Sofia Rosa (Makfi), 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 residual value.

Bak Da Master (3 g Mastercraftsman - Bak Da Princess) - Dennis Tan; jumped well to co-lead a line of horses on the inner and although in the worst of the ground he ran home solidly for fifth and rolled on nicely after the line.

Purchased by David Ellis for $90,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Leanach Lodge, for the Te Akau Master Syndicate, she 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 8 Maiden 3YO 850 metres (2 lengths, 2 ¾ lengths 51.5)

Beau Geste (3 g Pour Moi - Villa Wanda) - Wiremu Pinn; was back and wide, pushed further out around the home bend and fought on gamely despite finding the heavy footing beyond him.

Purchased for Fortuna Syndications by David Ellis for $32,500 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Valachi Downs, he is a half-brother to multiple Group One winner Wall Street (Montjeu) and promising staying mare Villa Elba (Zabeel).

Heat 9 Maiden 3YO 850 metres (neck, 2 lengths 53.2)

Cloudburst (3 g Pour Moi - November Rain) - Wiremu Pinn; settled back in the field, tracked through between runners in the straight and looked good running home solidly for third.

Owned by the Te Akau Cloudburst Syndicate, David Ellis bought him for $300,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale. She 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.

3 f Fastnet Rock - Gipsy Countess - Michael McNab; began well to co-lead a line of horses on the inner and was held together in the straight, the rider suggesting she “never handled the ground”.

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 10 Maiden 3YO 850 metres (½ a length, 3 ¾ lengths 53.2) - main picture

Embellish (3 c Savabeel - Bling) - Cameron Lammas; began smartly, held together in front, quickened on his own accord when challenged mid-straight and finished second without being asked for too much.

Owned by the Te Akau 2016 Breeding Syndicate, the brother to Group One winner Diademe, who subsequently sold for $740,000, was bought by David Ellis for $775,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, from the draft of Waikato Stud.

“He is a magnificent colt and a standout at Waikato Stud when we did the farm inspections,” said Ellis, at the time of purchase, “a colt has a lovely cross of Sir Tristram on both sides of his pedigree.”

Waikato Stud proprietor Mark Chittick said: “He's a beautiful type with a great pedigree and the Savabeel-O'Reilly cross is one that's really worked. He was extremely popular in the lead-up to the sale, more so than any other yearling we've had.”

Martinelli (3 f Burgundy - A La Votre) - Dennis Tan; was patiently ridden through the early stages, eight lengths astern at the 600m and widest on the track she ran home solidly to finish in a photo for minor positions.

From the talented three time winning mare A La Votre (Volksraad), already a handy producer, the filly is owned and bred by Aussie & Leslie Browne, Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM, Aaron Jones and Stephen Turner.

Heat 12 Maiden 4YO & Up 850 metres (½ a length, 7 lengths 52.4)

Lucy Wyldstyle (4 m Savabeel - Lego) - Dennis Tan; began smartly to lead a line of three horses on the inner and quickening in the going she kept up a very good gallop to win well.

She was purchased by David Ellis for $200,000 from the draft of Waikato Stud at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, and having dual Group One winner Legs (Pins) as her second dam ensures plenty of residual value.