Te Akau's Massive Black Type Season

With our three Australian based horses Probabeel, Melody Belle and Te Akau Shark all contesting Group 1 spoils on Saturday in Sydney - it could be a magical conclusion to Te Akau's black type racing success this season.

A Group and Listed season like no other ...

Hamstrung on 99 wins in New Zealand (102 including Australia), premiership leading trainer Jamie Richards has had a remarkable season of producing winners and far and away heads the list of all-important stakes victories.

The 17 domestic Group/Listed wins - 10 ahead of his closest rivals - has been bolstered by an additional three at Group One level in Australia, through the deeds of Melody Belle (Commands), Probabeel (Savabeel), and Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle), while backing it up with 24 stakes placed performances, including 11 of those in Australia.

“It's quite incredible the Group races we've won and we haven't just won them but quinelled some as well,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis. “It's the culmination of a lot of hard work to source horses with the ability to win these races and Jamie and all the staff have operated as one to get the best out of them.

“Last year we won two Group Ones in half an hour when Yourdeel won the Sistema Stakes and Melody Belle won the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie, races which Cool Aza Beel and Avantage won this year, and we did the same again in Sydney with Probabeel in the Surround Stakes and Te Akau Shark in the Chipping Norton Stakes.”

For Richards, it was fitting that reigning Horse of the Year Melody Belle, the winner of 10 Group Ones, commenced proceedings in August by winning the Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400m) on her way to unprecedented victories in the Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1, 1600m) and Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m) to create history as the first winner of the Bostock New Zealand Spring Carnival Triple Crown at Hastings.

She was again to the fore with a brilliant victory in the $1m Empire Rose (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Derby Day (Nov. 2) at Flemington, and backed it up a week later with an unlucky second in the Mackinnon (Gr. 1, 2000m).

Later in November, In A Twinkling (Fastnet Rock) chimed in with victory under a superb front running ride by Opie Bosson in the Counties Cup (Gr. 3, 2100m) at Pukekohe.

Three weeks later, it was the turn of talented filly Lilikoi (Charm Spirit) who capped outstanding form by winning the Eulogy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) at Awapuni, before finishing third in the Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) at Ellerslie.

Prise De Fer (Savabeel) had set about a string of victories each month since October before a very strong win in the Rich Hill Mile (Gr. 2, 1600m) on 1 January at Ellerslie, followed by his fifth consecutive win when claiming the Taranaki Cup (Gr. 3, 1800m) at New Plymouth. His campaign culminated with a second and fifth, respectively, to stable-mate Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in the Haunui Farm Group One Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) at Otaki, and Bonecrusher Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Ellerslie.

Prior to winning the Haunui Farm, and Bonecrusher, Avantage was seen at her courageous best with a thrilling victory in the Telegraph (Gr. 1, 1200m) at Trentham, and the former Champion Two-Year-Old was on her way to an extraordinary Group One treble over 1200m, 1600m, and 2000 metres - interspersed by an unlucky fourth to stable-mate Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle) in the BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) in February at Te Rapa. While the cancellation of the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 4 April denied her the chance of making it four.

“She's been incredible, Avantage, and done what very few horses would ever be able to achieve,” Ellis said. “In January, she won the Telegraph in 1:07.0 for 1200 metres, running her last 600m in 31.3, which is phenomenal, and seven weeks later, after her fourth to Te Akau Shark and another Group One win over a mile, she won the Bonecrusher over 2000 metres. She's now won Group One races at 1200m, 1400m, 1600m, and 2000 metres, and just an amazing horse for her owners.”

Karaka Million time, towards the end of January at Ellerslie, has provided a metaphor for Te Akau Racing and following the deeds of Melody Belle, Avantage, and Probabeel, new kid on the block Cool Aza Beel, a smashing young colt by five-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), made it a four-peat when proving far too strong in the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m). But the action ramped up even further when Probabeel made history in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m), becoming the first horse to win the race a year after winning the $1m Karaka Million 2YO. It all happened on the eve of the Karaka 2020 Yearling Sales, where the buyer of these horses David Ellis would retain his crown as leading buyer for the 15^th consecutive year.

As mentioned, Te Akau Shark had won the BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) in February at Te Rapa, with a brilliant fresh-up performance that stood him in another league, after finishing third in the Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m). He then followed suit in the Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) at Randwick, when simply too good at the business end and quite stunning at the line. 

February was a terrific month for the stable. Exciting two-year-old Need I Say More (No Nay Never), following an impressive debut win at Matamata, made it two from two on the course in the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m), defeating stable-mate Cool Aza Beel.

Derby Day (Feb. 29) at Ellerslie, saw smart three-year-old filly Star of Bombay (Atlante) produce a clinical victory in the Mufhasa Fasttrack Stakes (Listed, 1300m), on the day Proababeel and Te Akau Shark completed their remarkable Group One double in Sydney, and within the week Cool Aza Beel bounced back on his favourite course (Ellerslie) to win the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) and Avantage completed her Group One treble in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m).

The most recent of the stakes' winner was Scott Base (Dalghar), a former $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m) and Wellington Guineas (Gr. 2, 1400m) winner, who romped away with victory in the Japan Trophy (Gr. 2, 1600m) on 21 March at Tauranga.

Commenting on the stakes' winning
horses, Richards said: “Well, particularly in Australia they have got to be the
very best. You can't take a run-of-the-mill horse over there and expect to be
competitive, and you can't take your second and third tier horses either.
You've got to take the best in the country and Melody Belle, Probabeel, and Te
Akau Shark are three of the very best horses that Te Akau has.

“Even a horse like Avantage, who had won a Group Three last autumn at Rosehill, things didn't go her way in the spring and she struggled to measure up a couple of times in Sydney, but back home and freshened she's bounced back with three Group One wins.

“A lot of the success certainly
comes back to the horses that we buy and those three Group One winners in Australia
had all been bought at Karaka, and credit to Dave (Ellis) for selecting them
and buying the right ones.

“Across the board, our stakes' winners this season are obviously a talented bunch of horses. As well as the three champs in Australia, In A Twinkling had shown he was up to the best Derby types in New Zealand and Australia last season, and gone on to win a major cup. Prise De Fer was similar and an extra year on him really stamped his four-year-old season with five wins in a row.

“And at the other end of the spectrum, we had a couple of very good two-year-olds in Cool Aza Beel and Need I Say More, along with classy three-year-old fillies Star of Bombay and Lilikoi.

“As we have said many times, the difference between winning and losing begins in the sales' ring, and importantly on the staff front we have had the right people to travel those horses to Australia, and look after our team at home. Every single stage is very important.”

Timeline:

Aug. 17: Te Akau Shark (2^nd)
Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m), Te Rapa

Aug. 31: Equinox (2^nd) El Roca - Sir Colin Meads Trophy
(Listed, 1200m), Hastings

Aug. 31: Melody Belle (1^st) Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400m),
Hastings

Sept. 7 Te Akau Shark (2^nd) Tramway Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m),
Randwick

Sept. 21: Melody Belle (1^st) Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1,
1600m), Hastings

Sept. 21 Probabeel (2^nd) Tea Rose Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m),
Randwick

Oct: 5: Aotea Lad (3^rd) Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr. 1, 1400m),
Hastings

Oct. 5: Melody Belle (1^st) Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m),
Hastings

Oct. 5: Probabeel (2^nd) Flight Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m),
Randwick

Oct. 5: Te Akau Shark (2^nd) Epsom Handicap (Gr. 1, 1600m),
Randwick

Oct. 19 Folk Dress (3^rd) Barneswood Farm Stakes (Gr. 3,
1400m), Ashburton

Oct. 26 Te Akau Shark (3^rd) Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m),
Moonee Valley

Nov. 2 Melody Belle (1^st) Empire Rose Stakes (Gr. 1,
1600m), Flemington

Nov. 9 Melody Belle (2^nd) Mackinnon Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m),
Flemington

Nov. 23 In A Twinkling (1^st) Counties Cup (Gr. 3, 2100m),
Pukekohe

Dec. 14 Lilikoi (1^st) Eulogy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m), Awapuni

Dec. 26 Avantage (2^nd) Hallmark Stud Handicap (Listed,
1200m), Ellerslie

Jan. 1 Star of Bombay (3^rd) Auckland Guineas (Gr. 2,
1600m), Ellerslie

Jan. 1 Lilikoi (3^rd) Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), Ellerslie

Jan. 1 Prise De Fer (1^st) Rich Hill Mile (Gr. 2, 1600m),
Ellerslie

Jan. 1 Savy Yong Blonk (2^nd) City of Auckland Cup (Gr. 3,
2400m), Ellerslie

Jan. 11 Scott Base (3^rd) Anniversary Handicap (Gr. 3,
1600m), Trentham

Jan. 18 Avantage (1^st) Telegraph (Gr. 1, 1200m), Trentham

Jan. 25 Cool Aza Beel (1^st) Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted
Listed, 1200m), Ellerslie

Jan. 25 Probabeel (1^st) Karaka Million 3YO Classic
(Restricted Listed, 1600m), Ellerslie

Feb. 1 Prise De Fer (1^st) Taranaki Cup (Gr. 3, 1800m), New
Plymouth

Feb. 8 Te Akau Shark (1^st) BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m),
Te Rapa

Feb. 22 Avantage (1^st) Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic
(Gr. 1, 1600m), Otaki

Feb. 22 Prise De Fer (2^nd) Haunui Farm WFA Group One
Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m), Otaki

Feb. 22 Need I Say More (1^st), Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3,
1200m), Matamata

Feb. 22 Cool Aza Beel (2^nd) Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3,
1200m), Matamata

Feb. 22 Melody Belle (3^rd) Futurity Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m),
Caulfield

Feb. 29 Probabeel (1^st) Surround Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m),
Randwick

Feb. 29 Te Akau Shark (1^st) Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr. 1,
1600m), Randwick

Mar. 7 Cool Aza Beel (1^st) Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m),
Ellerslie

Mar. 7 Avantage (1^st) Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr.
1, 2000m), Ellerslie

Mar. 14 Te Akau Caliburn (2^nd) St Leger (Listed, 2600m),
Trentham

Mar. 14 Probabeel (2^nd) Phar Lap Stakes (Gr. 2, 1500m),
Rosehill

Mar. 14 Melody Belle (3^rd) All-Star Mile (1600m), Caulfield

Mar. 21 Scott Base (1^st) Japan Trophy (Gr. 2, 1600m),
Tauranga

Mar. 21 Te Akau Shark (3^rd) George Ryder Stakes (Gr. 1,
1500m), Rosehill

Mar. 28 Probabeel (2^nd) Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m),
Rosehill

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