Te Akau's Impressive 2YO Record

Te Akau principal David Ellis has mentioned his buying policy on a regular basis over the years. 

In essence, he searches for young horses with the pedigree and type to keep improving as they mature. So, why has he attained such tremendous results with two-year-olds?

“I know we've bought and trained the winners of the last four Karaka Million 2YO races, but that's certainly not what I've set out to do when buying them,” he said.

“I'm looking for horses with the makeup to train on, but like any young athlete, human or equine, some can show it from a young age.

“We never put pressure on our youngsters to perform, but sometimes, even from the breaking in stage here at Te Akau Stud, you can see the natural ability shining through and again when they go into Jamie (Richards) for education at the stables they are quick on the uptake and improve quickly.”

Reigning Horse of the Year Melody Belle (Commands) is of course the perfect case in point. Now a five-year-old, from a family that keeps improving with time, Ellis bought her as a yearling for $57,500 and 10 Group One wins later, among a total of 15 victories, she has amassed $3.4 million in earnings.

“Melody Belle has been an incredibly focussed and professional racehorse right from the outset,” Ellis said. “She was polished winning on debut and although not favoured ($32.40) for the Karaka Million she showed what she was made and just never looked back.”

Melody Belle was named Champion Two-Year-Old after going on to win the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at Awapuni, and the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, by nearly five lengths. 

Avantage (Fastnet Rock), another from a family that performs up in distance, was brilliant from the start when winning her first four in a row, including the Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m), and she too was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old after winning the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at Awapuni.

“You don't get many horses with the talent and determination of Avantage,” Ellis said. “She's a powerhouse that has gone on as a four-year-old to win Group One races at 1200m, 1600m, and 2000 metres, and she won the Sires' over 1400 metres. She's an extraordinary mare that has won $1.3 million.”

Recent winner of the Surround Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at Royal Randwick, three-year-old filly Probabeel (Savabeel) is the ultimate equine athlete with a sleek physique and an abundance of ability. Those that witnessed her second start victory as a two-year-old at Ellerslie, leading up to her devastating Karaka Million 2YO win, would have realised how special she is.

“She's a filly with some length about her and always looked more of a three-year-old type, but for sheer ability she's hard to match,” Ellis said. “Some of her wins from so far back in the field have been quite unbelievable.”

Matching the fillies of recent years and securing the Karaka Million 2YO four-peat for Te Akau, young colt Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel) has stamped himself as a juvenile performer of the highest order. 

“It's not often we take a horse to the first two-year-old race of the season, but he was ready to go in September and won the race at Wanganui,” Ellis said. “He's a very good colt and Jamie handled him perfectly to have him peaking again for the Karaka Million. He's gone on to win the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) at Ellerslie, and just a shame he didn't get a chance to run in the Sires' which was abandoned.”

In winning the Sistema, Cool Aza Beel added to the list of three in the last four years (six in total) of Te Akau horses to win the race, following Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock), Sword of Osman (Savabeel), and Yourdeel (Dundeel). While Yourdeel went on to win the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), becoming the fifth for Te Akau, before being the crowned their seventh Champion Two-Year-Old.

Selective again in placement of two-year-olds this season, Richards sent out 12 individuals which returned nine victories from 21 starts at a strike rate of 2.3.

“Jamie has again done a great job of training the two-year-olds,” Ellis said. “Waiting until those that were capable of racing at two were ready to go and placing them accordingly. He's a great young trainer, no doubt about it, but it's not easy to get it right with two-year-olds and he's assessed them brilliantly.”

Currently eighth in the TRC Global Trainer Rankings, Richards has been stranded on 99 domestic wins (102 including Australia) as premiership leading trainer, after notching 98 (2018/19) in his first season as solo trainer at Te Akau.

This season, Richards has produced 20 Group/Listed winners, including 11 Group One, while backing it up with 24 stakes placed performances, including 11 of those in Australia. There was good momentum through December with 21 wins, carried on with 17 in January, 15 in February, and 11 before racing was halted on the 24March.

Richards has been robbed the chance of chasing down the record (143) set by the Baker/Forsman stable in 2017/18, who interestingly had 90 wins at the same stage of the season.

Still, it has been a very productive season thus far, to lead the Trainers' Premiership with a cushion of 27 wins, at a terrific strike rate (4.8) and prize money over $3.8 million ($7 million approx. including Australia). 

TE AKAU CHAMPION 2YOS

Marfoofity
Darci Brahma
Warhorse
War Affair
Melody Belle
Avantage
Yourdeel

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