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

This time our next of 18 Group/Listed races was another ripper - a 2YO on debut, out of a mare bought by David and raced by him and Karyn and Mark and really good friends ... her son came out a blew them away at his very first start and at Group 2 level too ...

Contesting the $100,000 Wakefield Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m) on debut, Aotea Lad(2 g Savabeel - Corsage, by Volksraad) became the ninth stakes winner this season for premiership leading trainer Jamie Richards on 8 December at Trentham. 

In the wake of Melody Belle (Commands), winner of the first two Group One races of the spring, and Group Two & Three winner Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle), Aotea Lad joined past winners of the Wakefield for Te Akau: Maroofity (Maroof), Kapsdan (Kaapstad), and King's Ransom (King's Chapel).

Presented looking a picture, Aotea Lad travelled on a nice rein for Opie Bosson, tucked in behind the leaders, and never looked in danger after reaching the front at the 200m. 

A young horse with lovely conformation and an action to match, his pedigree suggested Slow8 footing could cause an issue but covering the trip in 1:04.8 for the 1100 metres (down the chute) gave indication of better going. 

“He showed a good turn of foot when I put pressure on him,” Bosson said. “He'd only had two trials and still doesn't know what he's doing, but he's a pretty special horse.” 

Aotea Lad was purchased as a yearling by David Ellis for $200,000, from the draft of Phoenix Park, at the 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale, and owned by the Te Akau Love Life Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“He was a stunner from the day he was born,” Ellis said. “Mark Walker and I bought (his dam) Corsage for $25,000 from the Select Sale at Karaka, and she was a much better filly than her record suggests. She was desperately unlucky not to win the (Diamond) Sistema Stakes, beaten a nose and half a head, and very unlucky not to win the Karaka Million that year.”

“He's owned by some of my best mates, including Gilbert Southworth and John Elstob. Corsage was John's first horse and now he has a few more with me. Gilbert is a director of Te Akau Stud, and my accountant, and he used to work at Te Akau Stud in his school holidays.” 

Deputizing on course for trainer Jamie Richards, who was at Ellerslie, Paul Richards said: “It was always the plan to ride him back, like we did at the trials, get a drag across the junction and try and get over them late. Obviously, he's going to improve a lot and the (overnight) trip away from home is all learning for him.”

Jamie Richards said: “He had trialled well a week earlier at Matamata, and I thought in the back of my mind that the race could come up a bit light, so we pumped some work into him and thankfully it all worked out really well.”

Although the Wakefield provided his only win during a campaign comprising five starts, Aotea Lad competed admirably in pinnacle juvenile events. Going on to finish second in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m), second to stable-mate Probabeel (Savabeel) in the Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m), and second to stable-mate Yourdeel (Dundeel) in the Matamata Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m), before heavy ground saw him unplaced in the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), again won by Yourdeel.

Aotea Lad was strapped by Meg Lambert.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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