Te Akau's 3rd Cup Week Winner

In scoring her maiden victory during New Zealand Cup & Show Week at Riccarton, Madame Jamai (3 f Minstrel Court - Palais Jamai, by Grand Lodge) gave owner and breederss Barry & Deirdre Neville-White a special thrill when following three consecutive seconds with a win at her sixth start.

“Wasn't she magnificent,” said Deirdre Neville-White. “She led from the front, dropped the bit and sprinted for home. It was wonderful and just what we thought she might do one day. She likes a firmer track, obviously.”

From barrier one, under jockey Matt Cameron, Madame Jamai showed her usual spark from the gates and ran freely throughout to clock 1.09.4 for the 1200 metres and final 600m in a sizzling 33.8. Changing stride to flatten out a furlong from home, she sprinted clear to slay her opposition by three and three-quarter lengths.

“She still has a bit of maturing to do,” said Barry Neville-White. “It was good to see her do it on firm ground, which is what her mother could do. I bought her (Palais Jamai) in Australia, and she won a couple of races. She liked good ground and couldn't really go an inch when it wasn't.”

A filly with a good action, Madame Jamai commenced her campaign with two very good efforts at Taupo, behind talented performers Bonniegirl (Darci Brahma) and Champagne Rein (Captain Rio) and again finished second when encountering King's Violet (Commands) on Nov. 2 at Motukarara.

“It was an overdue win and she did it in good fashion,” said Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman. “I brought her down here with the three-year-old 1400 metres in mind today, but she missed the maiden run at Ashburton and that threw everything into disarray and we had wait another two weeks until Motukarara. It ended up being six weeks between runs and needed that run badly, and she's improved out of sight since.”

Jockey Matt Cameron said: “She had the side winkers on today and jumped and ran. She was a little bit green on such a big track and she hadn't been here before. She proved too good and the experience she's had has helped a lot. She deserved it and it was nice to win a $30,000 race.”

Also aided by the addition of side winkers, her sire Minstrel Court (Danehill Dancer) was purchased as a yearling by David Ellis at the 2007 Magic Millions Sale. Minstrel Court was prepared by Te Akau trainer Mark Walker to win with ridiculous ease on debut as a two-year-old before going on for success in the Listed Matamata Slipper in the same season and finished third to his stable-mate Tell A Tale (Tale Of The Cat) in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) at three. He was retired shortly after that due to an injury. He was a horse with plenty of speed, proved competitive against the finest of his age and performed best on good and dead footing.

Madame Jamai became Te Akau's third NZ Cup Week winner after Bronte Lass and Wolfwhistle won on Day 1 of the carnival last Saturday (and Rockfast was runner up in the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas).  With two fillies lining up in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas on the final day this Saturday, here's wishing the winning momentum continues for Flaming and Darci's Dream!

Picture credit - www.raceimages.net.nz