Te Akau Welcomes Back Guineas' Heroes

The Informant reports:

Embellish and Age Of Fire, Te Akau Racing's first and second placegetters in last month's New Zealand 2000 Guineas, will return to action in the $50,000 three-year-old event at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards are following the same script as two years ago, when their eight-length 2000 Guineas winner Xtravagant returned to action in the 1400-metre event on Boxing Day. He was successful that day, and after a slightly disappointing fourth in the Gr. 1 Levin Classic he returned to Group One-winning form against older horses in Te Rapa's NRM Sprint.

Savabeel colt Embellish, a full-brother to the Group One-winning mare Diademe, was a $775,000 Karaka yearling purchase by Te Akau principal David Ellis. After finishing second in his only juvenile start, he has been unbeaten in three appearances this season including his impressive 2000 Guineas performance at Riccarton.

Age Of Fire, an Australian-bred son of Fastnet Rock, has won or placed in all of his four starts including his fast-finishing second at Riccarton and an earlier placing behind Prom Queen in the Gr. 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes at Ashburton.

The classy colts furthered their preparations with an exhibition gallop between races at their home track of Matamata on Wednesday. They galloped 1000 metres in 1:01.2 with the last 600 metres in 35 seconds.

Richards reported to The Informant that both colts are coming along well in the lead-up to their Boxing Day return.

“Both colts are looking very good and we couldn't be happier with their progress,” he said. “We're looking forward to having them back in action at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.”

The pair will head in different directions following their Boxing Day return. Embellish (purchased by David Ellis) is pencilled in for the $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic at Ellerslie on January 27, with a trip across the Tasman for the Australian Guineas and Doncaster Handicap possible later in the campaign.

Age Of Fire was also bought by David Ellis for A$400,000 at the Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale, making him ineligible for the Karaka Million 3YO Classic. He will instead head to Trentham for the Gr. 1 Levin Classic on January 13 and then build towards the Gr. 1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on March 3.

The TAB rates Age Of Fire a $12 chance for the $1 million classic, sharing second favouritism with Demonetization.

The $10 favourite is Age Of Fire's stablemate Te Akau Shark, who lost his unbeaten career record with a fast-finishing fourth in the 2000 Guineas. He is expected to be given a more gradual Derby build-up, picking up speed in mid-February with the Gr. 2 Avondale Guineas.