Te Akau's "Season That Was" continues ...

Two year sensation Yourdeel was the next to deliver one of seven Group 1 races achieved by Te Akau NZ trainer Jamie Richards and the team this season - following on from his dominant win in the Listed Matamata Slipper, the son of Dundeel was favoured to claim the first of only two Group 1 honours available to juveniles in the season - and he certainly did not disappoint - enjoy Te Akau's 15th stakes' win of the 'season that was' -

Yourdeel(2 g Dundeel - Miss Zapper, by Red Ransom) provided Te Akau with their fifth win in the $200,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) - the third for trainer Jamie Richards - on Auckland Cup Day, 9 March, at Ellerslie.

One of only two Group One races for two-year-olds in New Zealand, the attractive gelding joined Sword of Osman (Savabeel) who won it last year, Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock) in 2016, Warhorse (General Nediym) in 2012, and Maroofity (Maroof) won in 2003.

Purchased by Chris Rutten at Karaka, from Sam Williams' Little Avondale draft, and shared with him in ownership by John Norwood and Rod Preston, the trio chose Richards to train the horse and certainly reaping the benefits.

Although based five hours away in Otaki, Rutten said he and the owners had plenty of updates from the Te Akau training centre at Matamata. “The communication is brilliant from Jamie and David (Ellis),” he said. “Twice a week, or more, and I don't have to think am I going to get any communication, it just comes and it's pleasant to be that well informed. It's positive, always moving forward and proactive.

With a form line hard to fault (12311), the five-length debut winner Yourdeel had gone on to finish second and third respectively to stable-mate Probabeel (Savabeel), latterly in the $1m Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m), and before the Sistema victory he was in a class of his own winning the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m) by six lengths on 23 February at Matamata.

“He's stamping himself a little bit now,” Rutten said. “It's awesome and I think he's only going to get better as he gets older. Jamie has always said that, and what he's done with the horse has been spot on.

“He rang me up one day after Opie (Bosson) rode him in work and said you'll have to geld this horse. So, he was gelded straightaway and we've been able to dance on with what he's done. He wouldn't have been here to do this as a colt, which is a pity because he'd make a beautiful stallion.”

“It was a brilliant ride by Opie (Bosson),” said Te Akau principal David Ellis. “He held him up, held him up, and it was only 100m out that he went for the horse. The horse will go home happy, won't be exhausted, and he should to be very hard to beat in the Sires' too.

“It's Jamie's third win in the race and he quinelled it last year with Sword of Osman and Avantage.

“Chris Rutten is a great judge and when he said he'd like Te Akau to train his three yearlings last year it was a very proud day for us. These guys, they put a lot of thought into who trains their horses and it's brilliant to get these results for them.”

By the Champion Three-Year-Old and Horse of the Year in New Zealand, Dundeel (High Chaparral), who was also Champion Middle Distance Male in Australia, Yourdeel is from the Red Ransom mare Miss Zapper, a winner of three races from 1200m to 1900m in Australia.

Yourdeel (in the predominantly white colours) was strapped by Kate Belsham.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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