Te Akau's 7th Grp 3 Matamata Slipper

The Informant reports:

Yourdeel stepped out of the shadow of his stablemate Probabeel with a brilliant six-length win in the Gr. 3 Waikato Stud Slipper at Matamata on Saturday afternoon.

The Dundeel gelding became the seventh winner of the two-year-old
colts and geldings' feature from the Te Akau stable, following on from
Cosma D'Or (1995), Darci Brahma (2005), Minstrel Court (2008), King's
Ransom (2009), Heroic Valour (2016) and Sword Of Osman (2018).

A five-length debut winner at Te Rapa in December, Yourdeel played a
supporting role behind Probabeel in two subsequent starts at Ellerslie
including the Karaka Million.

But today it was all about Yourdeel. After setting in third place
behind the local front-runner Moeraki, rider Matt Cameron turned him
loose in the straight. Yourdeel rapidly devoured the leader and careered
away for a commanding win.

Stablemate Aotea Lad ran on late into second, completing another Te
Akau quinella in a major two-year-old feature, while Moeraki held on for
third.

“His work had been really strong heading into this,” trainer Jamie
Richards said. “We were a bit worried about today's slow track
conditions, but he's a pretty exciting horse, I think.

“Aotea Lad ran really well too, while Equinox (fifth) was a little
disappointing - possibly because of the track conditions today.

“Yourdeel has always shown plenty of ability, but he was a little
colty in the spring. As soon as we got that out of the road, he really
turned the corner and turned into a racehorse.

“We're very grateful to Chris Rutten for buying this horse and giving him to us to train. We really appreciate the support.

“Hopefully now it's onwards and upwards into the Sistema Stakes (Ellerslie, March 9).”

All of the last three Matamata Slipper winners have gone on to win
the Gr. 1 Sistema (Diamond) Stakes at Ellerslie - Heroic Valour, Summer
Passage and Sword Of Osman.

Yourdeel's campaign finale will be in the Gr. 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes on March 30.

“He's a potent galloper now, and he's going to be a hell of a three-year-old,” Richards said.

Yourdeel was bred by Dan Myers and was a $30,000 weanling purchase by
Little Avondale Stud, who then put him through their draft in Book 1
last year.

Rutten bought him for $100,000, and he shares ownership with John Norwood and Rod Preston.

While he is proudly from Otaki and sponsored a race during today's
Group One meeting there, Rutten was never going to miss today's Matamata
meeting.

“I'm really happy with that result,” he said. “Jamie had given us
some very good reports and we were told to expect something this
weekend, but you just never know, do you?

“I've got a 100 per cent record buying horses from Sam Williams at Little Avondale. I've bought three and they're all winners.

“I liked the look of this horse. He looked like he'd go early, but he also looked like he might carry on as a three-year-old.

“David Ellis approached me about getting Te Akau to train the horse
and I thought why not? I like to spread the horses around a bit. They've
been great to deal with.”

Rutten does his own yearling selections and has enjoyed notable
success, including Karaka Million and Diamond Stakes winner Vespa (raced
in partnership with Norwood).

Yourdeel has now had four starts for two wins, two placings and $124,350 in prize-money.

Cameron has been in the saddle for Yourdeel's last three appearances and holds his mount in high regard.

“He ran into a smart one in his last couple and wasn't far off her,”
he said. “He was drawn one and down in the worst part of the track, and
he hit a flat spot coming up to the turn.

“But the leader kicked away a bit and gave us a gap, and once I got
into him a little bit he really hit the line well. He's looking for
further too, so it's a good sign.”

It was the third consecutive win on today's programme for Cameron, who also scored on Concert Hall and Maison Roxanne.

The third placegetter in the Slipper, Moeraki, is the first black-type performer for young Westbury Stud stallion El Roca.

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