Te Akau's Three Shots at 7th Slipper

The Informant reports:

Te Akau Racing will be represented by Aotea Lad, Yourdeel and Equinox in Saturday's Gr. 3 Waikato Stud Slipper at Matamata, giving them three strong chances of a seventh win in the two-year-old colts and geldings' feature.

The previous Te Akau winners were Cosma D'Or (1995), Darci Brahma (2005), Minstrel Court (2008), King's Ransom (2009), Heroic Valour (2016) and Sword Of Osman (2018).

Aotea Lad is the best-performed of this year's trio. By Savabeel out of the Group One performer Corsage, he began his career with a debut victory in the Gr. 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham in December.

In his two subsequent starts he has finished second to Whiskey Neat in the Gr. 3 Eclipse Stakes and second to star stablemate Probabeel in the Karaka Million.

Just behind that pair in third in the Karaka Million was Yourdeel, a Dundeel gelding raced by Chris Rutten, John Norwood and Rod Preston. Yourdeel had previously won on debut at Te Rapa and ran second to Probabeel at Ellerslie.

“We gave Aotea Lad and Yourdeel a little freshen-up after the Karaka Million,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “They've both progressed well since then and I've been very pleased with their preparation.

“This race is the perfect stepping stone towards the Sistema Stakes (March 9) and Sires' Produce Stakes (March 30), and I think we've got them right where we want them.”

The Slipper has been a remarkable form guide to the Sistema (Diamond) Stakes two weeks later, with the last three winners Heroic Valour, Summer Passage and Sword Of Osman all going on to win the Group One at Ellerslie.

Rounding out the Te Akau trio is Equinox, who was the highest-priced yearling purchase of the three at $750,000. By Exceed And Excel out of the Group One performer Our Ella Belle, Equinox began his career with a dominant victory at Trentham late last March.

“He's a progressive colt and we really like him,” Richards said. “I'd just wonder whether he has enough ringcraft to compete with the other boys at this early stage of his career.

“By the time he gets to Ellerslie for the Sistema, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him right up there.

“He had a nice look around Ellerslie in an exhibition gallop the other day, which I thought was very good work. Craig Grylls was aboard that day and has the ride this weekend, while Matt Cameron has chosen to stay with Yourdeel. Aotea Lad will be ridden by Michael McNab.”

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