Te Akau Winning Treble - Win No.1 Supreme Khan

Date: 1 May 2021

Te Akau Winning Treble - Win No.1 Supreme Khan

 

The course that recently provided trainer Jamie Richards with a national record kept the momentum going when Supreme Khan (3 g Mongolian Khan - Angelica Hall, by Guillotine) won the $27,500 Cambridge Equine Hospital Rating 74 1200 metres on Saturday at Te Rapa.

 

From the same family and Windsor Park Stud connection, Feelin' Fancy (Rip Van Winkle) established a new benchmark of wins when becoming the 144thon 17 April at Te Rapa, and the run has continued.

A horse on the rise that benefitted from experience in the Te Akau South Island barn, Supreme Khan registered two wins and two seconds from five starts during his first campaign and was unpressured finishing second when trialling on 20 April at Cambridge.

From barrier one, rider Opie Bosson had him positioned fourth at the 600m and after levelling at the 200m Supreme Khan sustained a strong gallop to overhaul stable-mate Top Brass (Epaulette).

“It was a really good fresh-up win and a lovely ride by Opie (Bosson),” Richards said. “He kept improving his position from the 600m onwards and ended up in a really sweet spot.

“He's a horse by a Champion Stayer, but has a lot of speed on his mother's side and I think that's probably the key to him.  He's got a nice future ahead and we'll give him a break and get him ready for next season.”

Owned by Shaw's Property Holdings, Te Akau Supreme Khan Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) & Tale to Tell Syndicate, he was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $160,000, from the draft of Windsor Park Stud, at the 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale.

“We've got a terrific group of owners in the horse, including Jonny Schick whose brother Rodney (Schick) runs Windsor Park and that was win number 150 for the season,” Ellis said.

“He won his first two starts in the South Island, and we considered him for the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) but felt he wasn't quite mature enough at the time.

“He's a lovely type of horse, matured well for a spell and now won three of his six starts. It's very difficult to do and he has the ability to win more.

“It was a good ride by Opie (Bosson) and also a good effort by our apprentice (Joe Kamaruddin) on Top Brass. It won't be long and he'll be getting full books of rides, especially as the tracks get wetter and he can utilize his three-kilo claim. Joe works really hard, is well liked at the stables, and he's a great asset.”

On Dead6 footing, Supreme Khan ran the 1200 metres in 1:11.9, last 600m 35.9, and returned $2.40 & $1.40 as race favourite.

Accepting on behalf of the owners, John Elstob said: “Thank you to the Cambridge Jockey Club. It's very exciting to win a race here on your day at Te Rapa. Thanks to the sponsors. They're a big client of mine (SVS Laboratories) and support us as a New Zealand based wholesaler of veterinary products.

“Jamie (Richards) and his team keep getting these horses over the line, so ups to them, and we're really excited to be a part of this horse and quite a few others in the stable.”

From a gifted and athletic family with trademark abilities to quicken, he is from the first crop of Champion Three-Year-Old, subsequent dual Horse of the Year, and Champion Stayer Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor), who recorded Group One wins in the NZ Derby, ATC Derby, and Caulfield Cup. Te Akau trained his impressive dual winning dam Angelica Hall (Guillotine).

His grand-dam, Greta Hall (Kaapstad), won three stakes races and a half-sister to Epsom Handicap (Gr. 1, 1600m) and Toorak Handicap (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Golden Sword (Kaapstad), and the dams of Windsor Park stallion Falkirk and Australian Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) winner Royal Descent (Danehill).

From third dam, broodmare sensation Lovenvain (Vain), high-quality racehorses Balmoral Keep (Balmerino), Falkirk (Tale of the Cat), Golden Sword (Kaapstad), Madam Valeta (Palace Music), and Mulan Princess (Kaapstad), to ensure one of the best families for Windsor Park Stud.

Supreme Khan was strapped by Trevor Stewart.

 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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